Abstract:
Background: Antibiotics may impair small bowel smooth muscle contractility and contribute to postoperative ileus. The aim of
this study was to compare the contractile responses of ileum smooth muscle to different agonists in guinea pigs treated with
ceftriaxone (Rocephin; F. Hoffman–La Roche, Kaiseraugst, Switzerland) or ampicillin (Ampisina; Mustafa Nevzat _
Ilacx Sanayii
ASx, Istanbul, Turkey).
Methods: Twenty-four adult guinea pigs were randomly divided into three groups. Whereas eight of these received ceftriaxone
sodium (100 mg/kg per day, i.m.) for 10 days, another eight guinea pigs received ampicillin (50 mg/kg per day, i.m.) for 10 days and
the remaining eight served as the control group receiving 1 mL distilled water during 10 days as placebo. By the end of 10 days, the
animals were killed and their ilea were excised. Ileum segments were placed in an organ bath; concentration–response relationship for
carbachol and histamine were obtained by adding the reagent cumulatively to the bath.
Results: pD2 values being the same, maximum contractile responses (Emax) to carbachol and histamine were significantly reduced
in the ceftriaxone sodium group compared with the control group. No significant differences in Emax and pD2 values to carbachol and
histamine were observed between the ampicillin group and the control group.
Conclusion: These data indicate that whereas ceftriaxone may impair small bowel smooth muscle contractility, ampicillin does not.
There are implications for the long-term use of parenteral antibiotics in the postoperative period.
