Alcohol and alcoholism : international journal of the Medical Council on Alcoholism
-
The effects of acute and chronic administration of a large dose of alcohol on gastric emptying and small bowel transit were studied in rats. The development of tolerance to the acute effect of alcohol on gastrointestinal motility during chronic alcohol administration was also investigated. Gastric emptying and small intestinal transit were assessed by the Phenol Red recovery method. ⋯ Treatment with a large dose of alcohol for 10 days did not change the gastric emptying significantly, but inhibited the small intestinal transit. Alcohol consumption in drinking water for 30 days accelerated gastric emptying and small bowel transit. Tolerance to the acute inhibitory effect of a single large dose of alcohol on gastrointestinal motility did not develop during chronic alcohol treatment.