Capsaicin increases gastric emptying rate in healthy human subjects measured by 13C-labeled octanoic acid breath test

• Published in: Journal of physiology, Paris Vol. 93; no. 5; pp. 455 - 460
• Main Authors: Debreceni, Andras, Abdel-Salam, Omar M.E., Figler, Mária, Juricskay, István, Szolcsányi, Janos, Mózsik, Gyula
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Elsevier Ltd 01.11.1999
• Subjects: Adult; Breath Tests; Caprylates - analysis; Caprylates - pharmacokinetics; capsaicin; Capsaicin - pharmacology; Carbon Isotopes; Female; Gastric Emptying - drug effects; Gastric Emptying - physiology; gastric emptying rate; human; Humans; Male; Reference Values; Time Factors; gastric emptying rate; human; capsaicin
• ISSN: 0928-4257; 1769-7115
• DOI: 10.1016/S0928-4257(99)00114-X

The role of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent sensory nerves in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility in human is not clarified yet. In this study, we investigated the effect of 400 μg capsaicin given intragastrically on gastric emptying measured by 13C-octanoic acid breath test in ten healthy human subjects. Four parameters of gastric emptying curves were taken into consideration: 1) maximum value of the curve, 2) time belonging to this maximum, 3) slope of the rising part of the curve and 4) time belonging to the 50% of the area under the curve. Administration of 400 μg capsaicin significantly increased the slope of gastric emptying curve (from 0.1 ± 0.01 to 0.139 ± 0.014 U.min –1, P < 0.05) and significantly decreased the time belonging to the maximum value of emptying curve (from 150 ± 18 to 75 ± 12 min, P < 0.05) and the time belonging to the 50% of the area under the curve (from 112 ± 15 to 99 ± 14 min, P < 0.05). According to our results 400 μg capsaicin enhances gastric emptying rate in healthy human subjects.