Prostaglandins are not mediators of the intestinal response to cholera toxin.

We have determined the release of prostaglandin E2 into the lumen of closed ileal loops in the rat and have measured the capacity of the mucosa to synthesise and degrade prostaglandin E2 both in control animals and after exposure to cholera toxin or bisacodyl. Exposure to cholera toxin caused no change in any of these measurements whereas bisacodyl caused an increase in the luminal PGE2 content. We conclude that the secretion stimulated by cholera toxin is not mediated by locally produced prostaglandins.