Effect of wood creosote and loperamide on propulsive motility of mouse colon and small intestine.

To elucidate a mechanism of the antidiarrheal activity of wood creosote, its effect on the propulsive motility of mouse colon and small intestine was studied using a charcoal meal test and a colonic bead expulsion test. The effect was compared with that of loperamide. At an ordinary therapeutic dose, wood creosote inhibited the propulsive motility of colon, but not of small intestine. On the other hand, loperamide inhibited the propulsive motility of small intestine, but not of colon. The results indicate that at least a part of the antidiarrheal activity of wood creosote and loperamide is attributable to their antikinetic effect predominantly on colon of the former and predominantly on small intestine of the latter.