Effects of Cisapride, Buprenorphine, and Their Combination on Gastrointestinal Transit in New Zealand White Rabbits

Abstract

Due to their effective analgesic properties, opioids are worthy of consideration for pain management in rabbits. However,this class of drugs causes undesirable effects including reduced gastrointestinal (GI) motility, reduced fecal output, and delays GI transit times and thus increases the risk of GI stasis. The risk of stasis discourages the use of opioids in rabbits, which could affect animal welfare. Gastroprokinetic agents such as cisapride are effective in promoting gastric emptying in many species, but whether this effect occurs in rabbits is unknown. This study assessed the efficacy of cisapride when administered as a single agent and in combination with buprenorphine in rabbits; efficacy was assessed by measuring GI transit times, fecal output, body weight, and food and water intake. Female New Zealand White rabbits (n = 10) were studied in a crossover,randomized design and received either vehicle and buprenorphine, cisapride and saline, cisapride and buprenorphine, or vehicle and saline (control) every 8 h for 2 d. Rabbits were anesthetized and administered radio-opaque, barium-filled spheres via orogastric tube. Feces was assessed via radiography for detection of the barium-spheres to determine GI transit time. GI transit time was significantly longer in buprenorphine groups than in control groups, regardless of the use of cisapride. Fecaloutput and food and water intake were lower for buprenorphine groups than control groups. Cisapride did not significantlyalter GI transit, fecal output, or food and water intake. In addition, treatment group did not significantly affect body weight. In conclusion, buprenorphine treatment (0.03 mg/kg TID) prolonged GI transit time and reduced fecal output and food andwater consumption in rabbits. Coadministration of buprenorphine and cisapride (0.5 mg/kg) did not ameliorate these effects,and the administration of cisapride at this dose did not appear to affect GI motility in female rabbits.

Evaluating the Efficacy of a Peripheral Nerve Simulator-Guided Brachial Plexus Block in Rabbits Undergoing Orthopaedic Surgery Compared to Systemic Analgesia

“…However, none required intervention for gastrointestinal stasis or the management of excessive weight loss. A single dose of buprenorphine (100 µg kg −1 IM) [35] does not appear to reduce gastrointestinal motility in rabbits that have not been anaesthetised, but general anaesthesia followed by buprenorphine (30 µg kg −1 ) TID did increase gastrointestinal transit time and reduce faecal output [36]. Any prokinetic effects of the intraoperative lidocaine administration may have been reduced by the postoperative administration of buprenorphine.…”

Lateral ear canal resection and bulla osteotomy with marsupialization to treat otitis media in rabbits: forty‐eight procedures

“…Morphine temporarily slows gastrointestinal transit in rabbits, but whether buprenorphine does is controversial. [33][34][35] Fluid therapy and syringe feeding are essential while the rabbit recovers until it eats and drinks adequately on its own. 36 Limitations of this study include the retrospective nature of data analysis, short follow-up length, and not performing CT scans later (3 or 6 months) to assess otitis media.…”

“…It is critical to provide ongoing analgesia for several days, while reducing narcotic requirements in postoperative care. Morphine temporarily slows gastrointestinal transit in rabbits, but whether buprenorphine does is controversial 33–35 . Fluid therapy and syringe feeding are essential while the rabbit recovers until it eats and drinks adequately on its own 36 …”

Sex specific effects of buprenorphine on behavior, astrocytic opioid receptor expression and neuroinflammation after pediatric traumatic brain injury in mice

“…Therefore, the KOR may not have significant effects on the body weight in this study. Studies have shown that BPN can induce undesirable effects, including reduced gastrointestinal (GI) motility, constipation, and water retention ( Feldman et al, 2021 ), resulting in weight gain. To investigate if BPN administration after pediatric TBI could decrease GI motility, future studies are needed to evaluate GI functions, including the fecal and urine output, and the total gastrointestinal transit time ( Amira et al, 2005 ; Bove, 2015 ; Dey et al, 2015 ).…”