BACKGROUND/AIMS

Calcium and sodium channels are necessary in all excitable cells to maintain their functions. Calciumchannel blockers are generally used clinically to treat various pathological conditions such as cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, sodium channel blockers are widely used clinically, such as in dentistry. Given their widespread use, these blockers may have effects on gastrointestinal motility.

MATERIAL and METHODS

This study used healthy adult Wistar rats for the experiments. The ileal segments were isolated and suspended in tissuebath. Contractile responses induced by acetylcholine (ACh) were recorded. To study the effects of calciumchannel blocker nifedipine (1,4-dihidropyridine calcium channel blocker) and sodiumchannel blocker prilocaine [2-(propylamino)-o-propionotoluidide], ileal segments were incubated with these agents, and ACh-induced contractions were then recorded.

RESULTS

All doses of calcium and sodium channel blockers significantly decreased the ACh-induced contractions in isolated ileal segments.

CONCLUSION

Calcium and sodium channel blockers have significantly decreasedgastrointestinal motility.

Keywords: Calcium channel blocker, sodium channel blocker, gastrointestinal motility