GI Diseases Pharmacology Flashcards
What is the route of the gastrointestinal tract?
Mouth, oesophagus, stomach, SI, LI
What are the accessory glands to the GI tract?
Salivary glands, pancreas, liver
Is the gut lumen internal or external to the body and why?
External
Food components enter the body after absorption
Due to conditions for digestion being tolerated in the gut (lumen) but not in the body
What are the conditions in the gut?
pH of stomach as low as 2.0, in the body is 6.8-8.0
Digestive enzymes would destroy body’s own tissue
MOs in lower intestine present but destructive/ lethal if entered body
Foods are foreign particles that would be attacked if entered body
What are the 4 digestive system processes:
Motility
Secretion
Digestion
Absorption
Describe motility in the GI tract:
Voluntary and involuntary
Skeletal muscle (voluntary) is responsible for chewing, swallowing and defacation
Smooth muscle (involuntary) contractions that mix and move forward content of the gut
Name the 2 types of smooth muscle contractions in the gut:
Tonic
Phasic
Describe tonic contractions:
In the absence of food
Constant low level of contraction
Tone maintains a steady pressure on contents of gut and prevents wall from being permanently stretched
Describe phasic contractions:
In the presence of food
Action potential induced bursts of contraction
-propulsive movements (moving forward)
-mixing movements
Describe secretion in the GI tract:
Digestive juices
Secretory cells extract large volumes of water and raw materials for secretion
GI hormones
Describe digestive juices in secretion:
Secreted by exocrine glands (from outside into lumen)
Contain water, electrolytes, and specific products for digestion or absorption e.g mucus, enzymes and bile salts
Where are mucus, enzymes and bile salts made?
Mucus: all through gut
Enzymes: pancreas and epithelial of lumen
Bile salts: liver for fat digestion
Describe secretory cells in secretion:
Secretion requires a lot of energy
Active transport of raw materials into cell
Synthesis of secretory products by ER
Neural or hormonal stimulation releases secretion
Secretions normally reabsorbed back into gut- gets back energy
Describe GI hormones in secretion:
Secreted by endocrine glands
Secreted into blood stream by EGs along tract wall
Regulate motility and exocrine gland secretion
Where does protein digestion begin and describe it:
Pepsinogen in gastric juice is converted to pepsin at low pH (acid)
Pepsin breaks down proteins to peptides
Describe protein digestion in the SI:
Trypepsinogen in pancreatic juice is converted to trypsin at a basic pH
Trypsin breaks down proteins into peptides
Peptidases (border of epithelial cells of SI) breaks down peptides to a.a, which are actively transported into epithelial cells of villi and from there to blood
Where are lipids digested?
Only broken down in duodenum and SI
Describe lipid digestion:
In the duodenum, lipids combine (emulsify) with bile salts to form fat droplets
Lipase from pancreas, digests emulsification drops triglyceride and monoglycerides and fatty acids
MGs and FAs diffuse into intestinal epithelial cells, where they recombine and join with proteins to form lipoproteins, called chylomicrons
These enter a lacteal (lymphatics), where they can travel to liver and other tissues where required
Describe polysaccharide digestion:
Starch is broken down by salivary amylase (mouth) and then pancreatic amylase (duodenum/ SI) to maltose-> glucose
Glycogen-> glucose
Cellulose and other indigestion carbs are not broken down by gut enzymes, but by microbes in the gut
Describe disaccharide digestion:
Enzymes in the SI break down simpler sugars
Sucrase-> sucrose -> glucose + fructose
Lactase-> lactose-> glucose + galactose
Glucose is AT into epithelial cells-> blood capillary
Name and briefly describe the structure of the digestive tract wall:
Mucosa- next to layer of SI
Submucosa- underneath mucosa
Muscularis- Muscle
Serosa- outer end
Describe the mucosa as part of the structure of the digestive tract wall:
Epithelial cells that line the lumen- simple columnar epithelium
Goblet cells that produce mucus
Lamina propria layer- capillaries are found, layer of connective tissue
Also contains lymphatic nodules
Muscularis mucosa aswell- responsible for changes in folds of mucosal layer, thin layer of nerve plexus
Describe the submucosa as part of the structure of the digestive tract wall:
Arterioles, veins, where branches of capillaries
Connective tissue, allowing tract to distend and be elastic
Contains larger blood and lymph vessels, sends branches to mucosa and muscularis external
Contains submucosa nerve plexus
Describe the muscularis as part of the structure of the digestive tract wall:
Major smooth muscle
Inner circular (contracts diameter of lumen) and outer longitudinal muscle (contracts length of gut)
Myenteric nerve plexus lies between these 2 layers- gut has own NS
Describe the serosa as part of the structure of the digestive tract wall:
Serous fluid, helps to keep the outer lubricated, preventing friction between tract to other tissues and organs
Outermost layer, connective tissue
Continuous with the mesentery- suspends digestive organs from nine wall of abdominal cavity like a sling
Describe what the folding is like in the mucosa:
Highly folded and varies in different parts of tract
Describe what the folding is like in the oesophagus:
Quite flat as don’t need to absorb so don’t need a high SA
Describe what the folding is like in the stomach:
Big (gastric) pits where acid, pepsin, other hormones are produced- protects stomach from acid
Describe what the folding is like in the SI:
Huge folds called villi which have microvilli
These increase SA for increased absorption
Describe what the folding is like in the LI:
Cribs- have stem cells
What are the 3 layers of the mucosa of the lumen?
Mucous membrane
Lamina propria
Muscularis mucosa
Name the 4 process which regulates the digestive function:
Autonomic SM function
Intrinsic nerve plexus (gut NS)
Extrinsic nerves (CNS)
GI hormones
Describe the autonomic smooth muscle function:
Self induced electrical activity in digestive smooth muscle, prominently slow wave potentials (basic electrical rhythm)
Describe what triggers the autonomic smooth muscles self induced electrical activity:
Interstitial cells of Cajal:
-pacemaker cells that instigate cyclic slow wave activity
-located between circular and longitudinal muscle, allow whole sheets of sm cells to contract together when threshold reached
What does reaching the threshold in the autonomic sm to induce contraction depend on?
Mechanical, neural and hormonal factors e.g food present/ absent
What does the intensity (strength) of the contraction in the autonomic smooth muscle depend on?
Number of AP once slow wave potential threshold reached (depends on Ca2+)
Describe the intrinsic nerve plexus function:
Between the submucosa and myenteric nerve plexus
Enteric NS- entirely and throughout digestive tract wall-100 million neurones
Primarily co-ordinate local activities in tract
Using various types of neurones
Name and describe the types of neurones involved in the intrinsic nerve plexus:
Input neurones (sensory) respond to local stimuli
Excitatory and inhibitory output neurones- modulate motility or secretion of hormones or enzymes
-Ach promotes sm contraction
-NO and vasoactive intestinal peptide act together to relax sm
Describe the extrinsic nerve function:
Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves influence motility and secretion by modifying activity of intrinsic nerve plexus
-altering secretion of GI hormones
-directly acting on sm and glands
What is the role of the parasympathetic ns in extrinsic nerve function?
Vagus nerve*- connected to all parts of digestive tract, can communicate from whats happening from mouth to gut
Increase SM motility
Promotes GI hormone and enzyme secretion
Co-ordinates activity between different regions of tract
Name the types of sensory receptors:
Chemoreceptors
Mechanoreceptors
Osmoreceptors- important in duodenum and SI
What is the effect of stimulation of sensory receptors:
Results in neural reflexes or secretion of hormones which alter activity of effector cells (sm cells, exocrine and endocrine gland cells)
Also effects on effector cells that are directly stimulated by GI hormones, neurotransmitters and local chemical mediators
What is the function of GI hormones in the digestive tract?
Endocrine gland cells in mucose of specific regions of tract release hormones into blood (not lumen) upon stimulation
Transported to other parts of digestive tract where stimulate or inhibit other exocrine gland cells or sm
Give examples of GI hormones secreted from the GI tract and where?
Duodenum- cholecystokinin- gall bladder contraction, pancreatic secretion
Stomach- gastrin- increase acid secretion
Pancreas- insulin/ glucagon
Describe the properties of the palate in the mouth:
Hard and soft
Forms roof of oral cavity (separates mouth from nasal passages)
Uvula (seals off nasal passages during swallowing)
How many teeth do adults have and describe their properties:
32 (28 without wisdom teeth)
Incisors/ premolar
Responsible for chewing (mastication)
Describe the property of the tongue?
Composed of skeletal muscle
Has around 10,000 taste buds:
sweet, sour, bitter, salty
Describe the properties of the pharynx:
Cavity at rear of throat, links mouth to oesophagus
– Common passageway for digestive and respiratory systems
– Tonsils
* Within side walls of pharynx * Lymphoid tissue
What are taste receptors?
Long spindly, modified epithelial cells
How much saliva is produced per day and what by?
1-2L per day
Produced by 3 main pairs of salivary glands (90%):
-Paratoid
-Sublingual
-Submandibular
What is the rate per min of saliva produced and how is it increased by?
Basal 0.5ml/min - stimulated by constant low level parasympathetic NS
Max 5ml/min, eg sucking on a lemon
Describe the composition of saliva:
99.5% H2O
0.5% electrolytes and protein (amylase, mucus, lysozyme, for antibacterial)
Bicarbonate ions- to have a neutral pH for amylase
What drugs can decrease the amount of salvia produced?
B blockers
Diuretics
Anticholinergics
Does digestion and absorption occur in the mouth?
Digestion yes
Absorption of food no, but sublingual/buccal drugs are absorbed
What are the functions of the saliva?
- Digestion of carbohydrates by salivary amylase
- Swallowing facilitated by moistening food
- Lubrication provided by mucus
- Antibacterial action
– Lysozyme destroys bacteria
– Saliva rinses away material that could serve as food
source for bacteria - Solvent for molecules that stimulate taste buds
- Aids speech by facilitating movements of lips and tongue
- Helps keep mouth and teeth clean
- Rich in bicarbonate buffers
Describe how eating can increase salvia production:
Pressure and chemoreceptors in the mouth, signals to salivary centre in medulla, signals to autonomic nerves-> salivary glands
Describe how a stimulus of seeing food (conditioned response) can increase saliva production:
Signals to cerebral cortex, to salivary centre in medulla, signals to autonomic nerves, salivary glands
What is swallowing?
Pharynx and Oesophagus involved
Moves food from mouth through pharynx into stomach
Sequentially programmed all-or-none reflex – can’t be stopped once begun
Initiated when bolus is voluntarily forced by tongue to rear of mouth into pharynx
Swallowing centre briefly inhibits respiratory centre during swallowing
Swallowing is the beginning of peristalsis
In pharynx, bolus prevented from re-entering mouth, or entering nasal passages or trachea
What are the 2 phases in swallowing?
- Oropharyngeal – 1 sec
- Oesophageal – 5-9 sec
Describe the oesophagus:
Fairly straight muscular tube
Extends between pharynx and stomach
Sphincters at each end
Name the 2 sphincters in the oesophagus and what are their purpose?
Pharyngoesophageal sphincter- at the top, stops food entering the resp tract
Gastroesophageal sphincter- at bottom, stops food going back up from stomach
Is there any digestion/ absorption in the oesophagus?
No, there is not enough time
How does food move through the oesophagus?
Peristaltic waves push food through oesophagus, swallowing centre controls the progression of the wave
Mucus is secreted for lubrication/ protection
What are the 3 sections of the stomach and describe them:
Fundus- air
Body- food is there for a while
Antrum- thicker muscle than body, used for mixing, parastaltic wave to pyloric sphincter so pushes it back until it is ready, so pulverises it into chyme
What are the 3 main functions of the stomach?
Store ingested food until it can be emptied into small intestine
Secretes HCl and enzymes that begin protein digestion
Mixing movements convert pulverized food to chyme
What type of foods stay longer in the body of the stomach?
Fatty foods, 6-8 hrs
Why should food pass slowly through the stomach and what occurs if it doesn’t?
Need to give time for the SI to absorb, if not causes diarrhoea
Name the 4 aspects of GI motility:
Filling
Storage (body)- stomach
Mixing (antrum)- stomach
Emptying- (duodenum)
Describe the aspect of filling in GI motility:
Involves receptive relaxation (smooth muscle relaxed):
-Enhances stomach’s ability to accommodate the extra volume of food with little rise in stomach pressure
-Triggered by act of eating
-Mediated by vagus nerve
What factor in the stomach influences the strength of contraction for stomach emptying?
Amount of chyme in the stomach
What factors in the duodenum affect the amount of stomach emptying?
Fat
Acid
Hypertonicity
Distension
How does fat in the duodenum affect stomach emptying?
Fat digestion and absorption takes place only within small intestine
When fat is already in duodenum, further gastric emptying of additional fatty stomach contents is prevented
How does acid in the duodenum affect stomach emptying?
Un-neutralized acid in duodenum inhibits further emptying of acidic gastric contents until neutralisation can be accomplished
This is accomplished from bicarbonate from the pancreas to neutralise it
How does hypertonicity in the duodenum affect stomach emptying?
Gastric emptying is reflexly inhibited when osmolarity of duodenal contents starts to rise
How does distension in the duodenum affect stomach emptying?
Too much chyme in duodenum inhibits emptying of even more gastric contents
Is the stomach or duodenum more important in gastric emptying?
Duodenum
Which responses can occur in response to factors to gastric emptying?
Neural
Hormonal
Describe the neural response in gastric emptying:
Mediated through both intrinsic nerve plexuses (short reflex) and autonomic nerves (long reflex)
Collectively called enterogastric reflex
Describe the hormonal response in gastric emptying:
Involves release of hormones from duodenal mucosa collectively known as enterogastrones, inhibit gastric emptying
-Secretin (produced by S cells)
-Cholecystokinin (CCK, produced by I cells)
What is the function of intrinsic factor and where does it act?
Helps vit B12 absorption in the terminal ileum
What are additional factors which can influence gastric motility?
– Emotions
* Sadness and fear – tend to decrease motility
* Anger and aggression – tend to increase motility
– Intense pain – tends to inhibit motility