Dopamine Agonists/Antagonists in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases

Haloperidol produces increased defecation in rats in habituated environments

“…As explained by Ormsbee (1984), there is pharmacological evidence that supports the theory OPEN FIELD DEFECATION that there are dopamine receptors located in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (Brogden, Carmine, Heel, Speight, & Avery, 1982;DeCarIe & Christensen, 1976;Mukhopadhyay & Weisbrode, 1977;Rattan & Goyal, 1976;Schulze-Delrieu, 1981). However, the fact that dopamine receptors are not localized in the lower GI tract (Ormsbee, 1984) may argue against this interpretation, since the effects of haloperidol on defecation were seen within a relatively short period after injeclioo in the present study. Also, the fact that haloperidol usually decreases defecation in novel environments (Allain & Lechat, 1970;Brimblecombe & Green, 1962;Cox & Tye, 1975) argues against a peripheral effect.…”