Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Gut logoLink to Gut
. 1995 Nov;37(5):649–653. doi: 10.1136/gut.37.5.649

Motor activity recorded in the unprepared colon of healthy humans.

M Lémann 1, B Flourié 1, L Picon 1, B Coffin 1, R Jian 1, J C Rambaud 1
PMCID: PMC1382869  PMID: 8549940

Abstract

A manometric method was developed to study the motor activity in the unprepared human colon, and the results in eight healthy subjects were compared with those obtained in the same subjects after bowel cleansing with a non-absorbable solution containing polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG). A tube assembly (4.5 m long, 12 lumen) was introduced through the nose and passed through the gastrointestinal tract. Two manometric recordings were performed one month apart, one without any preparation and the other after bowel cleansing with PEG. There was no obvious qualitative difference between the recordings performed in the uncleansed and PEG cleansed colon. Moreover, in the unprepared colon motility indices were close to those measured in the cleansed colon. The number of high amplitude propagated contractions (mean (SEM)) was, however, higher in the cleansed colon (8.6 (2.8) v 5.4 (1.8)/subject/9 h in the unprepared colon; p < 0.04). It is concluded that in healthy subjects taking a regular diet, motor activity is not different between the uncleansed and cleansed colon with PEG, except for the high amplitude propagated contractions, which occur more frequently in the cleansed colon.

Full text

PDF
649

Images in this article

650Figure 1
on p.650

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bardon T., Fioramonti J. Nature of the effects of bran on digestive transit time in pigs. Br J Nutr. 1983 Nov;50(3):685–690. doi: 10.1079/bjn19830140. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bassotti G., Gaburri M. Manometric investigation of high-amplitude propagated contractile activity of the human colon. Am J Physiol. 1988 Nov;255(5 Pt 1):G660–G664. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.1988.255.5.G660. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bennett A., Eley K. G. Intestinal pH and propulsion: an explanation of diarrhoea in lactase deficiency and laxation by lactulose. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1976 Mar;28(3):192–195. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-7158.1976.tb04129.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brodribb J., Condon R. E., Cowles V., DeCosse J. J. Influence of dietary fiber on transit time, fecal composition, and myoelectrical activity of the primate right colon. Dig Dis Sci. 1980 Apr;25(4):260–266. doi: 10.1007/BF01308515. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Burrows C. F., Merritt A. M. Influence of alpha-cellulose on myoelectric activity of proximal canine colon. Am J Physiol. 1983 Aug;245(2):G301–G306. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.1983.245.2.G301. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cherbut C., Ferre J. P., Corpet D. E., Ruckebusch Y., Delort-Laval J. Alterations of intestinal microflora by antibiotics. Effects on fecal excretion, transit time, and colonic motility in rats. Dig Dis Sci. 1991 Dec;36(12):1729–1734. doi: 10.1007/BF01296617. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Cherbut C., Ruckebusch Y. Modifications de l'électromyogramme du côlon liées à l'ingestion de particules non digestibles chez le chien. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 1984 Dec;8(12):955–959. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Cook I. J., Reddy S. N., Collins S. M., Daniel E. E. Influence of recording techniques on measurement of canine colonic motility. Dig Dis Sci. 1988 Aug;33(8):999–1006. doi: 10.1007/BF01535997. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Crowell M. D., Bassotti G., Cheskin L. J., Schuster M. M., Whitehead W. E. Method for prolonged ambulatory monitoring of high-amplitude propagated contractions from colon. Am J Physiol. 1991 Aug;261(2 Pt 1):G263–G268. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.1991.261.2.G263. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Dapoigny M., Sarna S. K. Effects of physical exercise on colonic motor activity. Am J Physiol. 1991 Apr;260(4 Pt 1):G646–G652. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.1991.260.4.G646. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Debongnie J. C., Phillips S. F. Capacity of the human colon to absorb fluid. Gastroenterology. 1978 Apr;74(4):698–703. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Dinoso V. P., Jr, Murthy S. N., Goldstein J., Rosner B. Basal motor activity of the distal colon: a reappraisal. Gastroenterology. 1983 Sep;85(3):637–642. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Fioramonti J., Bueno L. Diurnal changes in colonic motor profile in conscious dogs. Dig Dis Sci. 1983 Mar;28(3):257–264. doi: 10.1007/BF01295121. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Fioramonti J., Bueno L. Motor activity in the large intestine of the pig related to dietary fibre and retention time. Br J Nutr. 1980 Jan;43(1):155–162. doi: 10.1079/bjn19800074. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Fioramonti J., Garcia-Villar R., Bueno L., Ruckebusch Y. Colonic myoelectrical activity and propulsion in the dog. Dig Dis Sci. 1980 Sep;25(9):641–646. doi: 10.1007/BF01308321. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Frexinos J., Staumont G., Fioramonti J., Bueno L. Effects of sennosides on colonic myoelectrical activity in man. Dig Dis Sci. 1989 Feb;34(2):214–219. doi: 10.1007/BF01536053. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Hardcastle J. D., Mann C. V. Study of large bowel peristalsis. Gut. 1968 Oct;9(5):512–520. doi: 10.1136/gut.9.5.512. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Kamath P. S., Phillips S. F., O'Connor M. K., Brown M. L., Zinsmeister A. R. Colonic capacitance and transit in man: modulation by luminal contents and drugs. Gut. 1990 Apr;31(4):443–449. doi: 10.1136/gut.31.4.443. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Kirwan W. O., Smith A. N., Mitchell W. D., Falconer J. D., Eastwood M. A. Bile acids and colonic motility in the rabbit and the human. Gut. 1975 Nov;16(11):894–902. doi: 10.1136/gut.16.11.894. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Metcalf A. M., Phillips S. F., Zinsmeister A. R., MacCarty R. L., Beart R. W., Wolff B. G. Simplified assessment of segmental colonic transit. Gastroenterology. 1987 Jan;92(1):40–47. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(87)90837-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Narducci F., Bassotti G., Gaburri M., Morelli A. Twenty four hour manometric recording of colonic motor activity in healthy man. Gut. 1987 Jan;28(1):17–25. doi: 10.1136/gut.28.1.17. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Picon L., Lémann M., Flourié B., Rambaud J. C., Rain J. D., Jian R. Right and left colonic transit after eating assessed by a dual isotopic technique in healthy humans. Gastroenterology. 1992 Jul;103(1):80–85. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(92)91098-o. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Reddy S. N., Bazzocchi G., Chan S., Akashi K., Villanueva-Meyer J., Yanni G., Mena I., Snape W. J., Jr Colonic motility and transit in health and ulcerative colitis. Gastroenterology. 1991 Nov;101(5):1289–1297. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(91)90079-z. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Ritchie J. Mass peristalsis in the human colon after contact with oxyphenisatin. Gut. 1972 Mar;13(3):211–219. doi: 10.1136/gut.13.3.211. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Smith A. N., Drummond E., Eastwood M. A. The effect of coarse and fine Canadian Red Spring Wheat and French Soft Wheat bran on colonic motility in patients with diverticular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 1981 Nov;34(11):2460–2463. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/34.11.2460. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Soffer E. E., Scalabrini P., Wingate D. L. Prolonged ambulant monitoring of human colonic motility. Am J Physiol. 1989 Oct;257(4 Pt 1):G601–G606. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.1989.257.4.G601. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Spiller R. C., Brown M. L., Phillips S. F. Decreased fluid tolerance, accelerated transit, and abnormal motility of the human colon induced by oleic acid. Gastroenterology. 1986 Jul;91(1):100–107. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(86)90445-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Squires P. E., Rumsey R. D., Edwards C. A., Read N. W. Effect of short-chain fatty acids on contractile activity and fluid flow in rat colon in vitro. Am J Physiol. 1992 May;262(5 Pt 1):G813–G817. doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.1992.262.5.G813. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Svendsen P. Inhibition of cecal motility in sheep by volatile fatty acids. Nord Vet Med. 1972 Jul-Aug;24(7):393–396. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Tansy M. F., Kendall F. M. Experimental and clinical aspects of gastrocolic reflexes. Am J Dig Dis. 1973 Jun;18(6):521–531. doi: 10.1007/BF01076606. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Vassallo M. J., Camilleri M., Phillips S. F., Steadman C. J., Talley N. J., Hanson R. B., Haddad A. C. Colonic tone and motility in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Mayo Clin Proc. 1992 Aug;67(8):725–731. doi: 10.1016/s0025-6196(12)60796-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Gut are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES