<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The presence of vitamin D receptors in small intestine muscle cells may lead one to think that vitamin D may act locally, influencing intracellular calcium concentration and contributing to the contraction-relaxation regulation of the intestinal smooth muscle cells. This study investigates the potential effects of vitamin D and calcium on intestinal motility using an <italic>in vitro</italic> test.Different calcium concentrations added to the tissue not pre-treated with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1<italic>α</italic>,25(OH)2D3] produced no response at low doses (1.25 × 10−3 and 2.0 × 10−3 mol L−1) and only a very weak response at higher concentration (3.0 × 10−3 mol L−1). The addition of 1<italic>α</italic>,25(OH)2D3 (1.44 × 10−10 mol L−1) had no effect on isolated ileum motility. When calcium (3.0 × 10−3 mol L−1) was added after at least 3 hours, it evoked evident and persistent contractions for 60–90 minutes. The contractions were at about 40 % of the peak produced by acetylcholine. Thus, simultaneous intake of vitamin D and calcium might be a useful co-adjuvant in intestinal atony therapy aimed to stimulate normal gut motility in humans. These findings imply that supplemental vitamin D may be important in all cases where calcium has to be prescribed.</abstract>

The presence of vitamin D receptors in small intestine muscle cells may lead one to think that vitamin D may act locally, influencing intracellular calcium concentration and contributing to the contraction-relaxation regulation of the intestinal smooth muscle cells. This study investigates the potential effects of vitamin D and calcium on intestinal motility using an in vitro test.Different calcium concentrations added to the tissue not pre-treated with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1α,25(OH)2D3] produced no response at low doses (1.25 × 10−3 and 2.0 × 10−3 mol L−1) and only a very weak response at higher concentration (3.0 × 10−3 mol L−1). The addition of 1α,25(OH)2D3 (1.44 × 10−10 mol L−1) had no effect on isolated ileum motility. When calcium (3.0 × 10−3 mol L−1) was added after at least 3 hours, it evoked evident and persistent contractions for 60–90 minutes. The contractions were at about 40 % of the peak produced by acetylcholine. Thus, simultaneous intake of vitamin D and calcium might be a useful co-adjuvant in intestinal atony therapy aimed to stimulate normal gut motility in humans. These findings imply that supplemental vitamin D may be important in all cases where calcium has to be prescribed.

Investigation of the effects of vitamin D and calcium on intestinal motility: <italic>In vitro</italic> tests and implications for clinical treatment

Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, V. Erspamer Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Acta Pharmaceutica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Investigation of the effects of vitamin D and calcium on intestinal motility:  tests and implications for clinical treatment

The presence of vitamin D receptors in small intestine muscle cells may lead one to think that vitamin D may act locally, influencing intracellular calcium...

Investigation of the effects of vitamin D and calcium on intestinal motility: In vitro tests and implications for clinical treatment

Published Online: Sep 30, 2015

Page range: 343 - 349

Accepted: Feb 19, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acph-2015-0023

Keywords
vitamin D, calcium, intestinal motility, tests

© Guglielmo Giraldi et al.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Investigation of the effects of vitamin D and calcium on intestinal motility: In vitro tests and implications for clinical treatment

Published Online: Sep 30, 2015

Page range: 343 - 349

Accepted: Feb 19, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acph-2015-0023

Keywordsvitamin D, calcium, intestinal motility, tests

© Guglielmo Giraldi et al.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
vitamin D, calcium, intestinal motility, tests