Differentiation of secretagogue drugs by chlorpromazine in rat intestine in vivo

The effect of chlorpromazine (CPZ) on passive epithelial permeability and net fluid movement induced by secretagogues was tested in the rat intestine in vivo. CPZ, in a dose of 20 mg/kg intramuscularly, did not alter colonic permeability either in control conditions or during increased permeability caused by deoxycholic acid (DOC) or bisacodyl. Fluid secretion induced by cholera toxin and theophylline was strongly reduced by CPZ. The effects of oxyphenisatin and bisacodyl were only slightly but significantly inhibited by CPZ, whereas the action of DOC was unaffected. It is concluded, that the increase of the epithelial permeability is the main reason for the augmented fluid secretion caused by DOC. Bisacodyl and oxyphenisatin seem to act partly via an increase in permeability and to some degree via an induction of an active secretory process.