The effects of 5-HT ₄ receptor agonist, mosapride citrate, on visceral hypersensitivity in a rat model

Background and Aims: Mosapride citrate is known to affect gastric motility. However, whether mosapride citrate has any effect on visceral pain in the colon or rectum is not certain. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of mosapride citrate on visceral pain in a rat visceral hyper-sensitivity model. Methods: The perception of visceral pain was evaluated by the visceromotor response to colorectal distension observed on electromyographs of the abdominal musculature in urethane-anesthetized rats. Visceral hypersensitivity was induced by the intrarectal instillation of 4% acetic acid or 1.5% zymosan. Mosapride citrate was administered intraperitoneally 3 h later. VMRs to CRD were recorded prior to the instillation of acetic acid or zymosan and before and after mosapride citrate treatment. Results: The intracolonic instillation of acetic acid resulted in a significant increase in VMRs of the abdominal muscles to CRD, compared with the pretreatment state (174 ± 24%, P < 0.05). The intracolonic instillation of zymosan resulted in a significant increase in VMRs of the abdominal muscles to CRD, compared with the pretreatment state (144 ± 9%, P < 0.05). Intraperitoneal injection of mosapride citrate resulted in a significant reduction in the VMRs to CRD in an acetic acid-induced visceral hypersensitivity rat model (61 ± 9%, P < 0.05). The intraperitoneal injection of mosapride citrate also resulted in a significant reduction in the VMRs to CRD in a zymosan-induced visceral hypersensitivity rat model (67 ± 9%, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Mosapride citrate diminished visceral pain in rats.