Oral anticholinergics and gastric emptying

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Abstract
The quaternary ammonium antimuscarinic drugs propantheline bromide and clidinium bromide given orally at the usual therapeutic doses [to humans] delayed gastric emptying of a swallowed radiolabeled liquid meal as measured by a .gamma.-camera. Delay of emptying was dose dependent. If an identical meal was given by gastric tube, there was no slowing of emptying by propantheline in the group as a whole. Six subjects who emptied the intubated meal more quickly with placebo had slowed emptying after 30 mg propantheline. In 5 others, intubation alone slowed gastric emptying while the addition of 30 mg propantheline caused a paradoxical acceleration of gastric emptying. Clidinium bromide, 5 mg, delayed gastric emptying to the same extent as 15 mg propantheline bromide without the marked suppression of salivary secretion induced by the latter.