Nobuo Aikawa and Kenji Ohmori
Drug Development Research Laboratories, Pharmaceutical Research Institute,
Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd.,
1188 Shimotogari, Nagaizumi-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka 411-8731, Japan
Abstract: The effect of zaldaride, a calmodulin inhibitor, on
fecal pellet output in rats was compared with that of loperamide, an antidiarrheal
drug. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (10ﾊmg/kg,ﾊs.c.), neostigmine (0.3ﾊmg/kg,ﾊs.c.)
and nicotine (1.0ﾊmg/kg,ﾊs.c.) increased fecal pellet output. Zaldaride
(ﾊ³ﾊ30ﾊmg/kg,ﾊp.o.) reduced these increases
in fecal pellet outputs. Loperamide (10ﾊmg/kg,ﾊp.o.) inhibited fecal pellet
output induced by 5-hydroxytryptamine and neostigmine but not nicotine.
Under normal conditions, zaldaride and loperamide did not affect fecal pellet
output at doses used in these studies. In conclusion, zaldaride may inhibit
increases in fecal pellet output induced by hyperpropulsion of the gastrointestinal
tract without causing constipation as a side effect.
Keywords: Zaldaride maleate, Feces, Calmodulin