摘要：A diluted toxic culture supernatant of a Clostridium botulinum Type A was inoculated intragastrically into 10 d old mice and the effect on gut motility was quantified. Transit time of a marker through the gut was increased from 3.5 h in controls to at least 6 h in the presence of the toxic supernatant. The ileo-caecal junction was open in all mice treated with the toxic supernatant but was closed in control mice. In treated mice there was significant shedding of enterocytes from the ileal villi. The effect of the supernatant on transit time was neutralised when the supernatant was treated with antiserum to Type A toxin before inoculation. It was concluded that the changes in the gut were probably effected by Type A toxin in the supernatant.Keywords: Intestinal motility; Botulinum toxin; Constipation.
