Control of gastric emptying by osmolality of duodenal contents in man
Meeroff, J.C.; Go, V.L.; Phillips, S.F.
Gastroenterology 68(5 Pt 1): 1144-1151
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0016-5085 PMID: 1126594 Document Number: 84733
During steady state perfusion of the duodenum, recovery of a duodenal marker (polyethylene glycol 4000) could be used to measure intraduodenal volumes. The method was used to measure and time the recovery from the duodenum of a second nonabsorbable marker, phenol red. When liquid test meals containing phenol red were placed in the stomach, the rate of gastric emptying was estimated from the appearance of the marker in the duodenum. The osmolality of test meals or duodenal perfusates was then varied so that the osmotic control of gastric emptying could be examined. Gastric emptying was fastest when duodenal contents were isotonic; nonisotonic duodenal contents slowed emptying whether those conditions were achieved by duodenal perfusates or by emptying of a test meal. Nonisotonic solutions in the stomach and in the jejunum did not slow gastric emptying, so long as duodenal contents were isotonic. Osmoregulators, which slow gastric emptying, are present in the duodenum but not in the jejunum or stomach.