Administration of Erythromycin dose not Stimulate Food Intake in Fasted Chickens

Abstract

Several neural peptides are known to stimulate feeding behavior in mammalian species. Among them, administration of motilin has been found to stimulate feeding behavior in rats and mice. However, central administration of mammalian motilin did not stimulate food intake of the neonatal chick in the previous study. Erythromycin acts as a smooth muscle motilin receptor agonist in mammals, but its effect on feeding behavior has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether administration of nonpeptidergic motilin agonist erythromycin stimulates feeding of fasted neonatal chicks. We administered erythromycin through intraperitoneal and oral routes, since it acts on the gut. No significant effects on food intake were obtained after intraperitoneal and oral administration of erythromycin. We also used the growing (4-week-old) chicken for oral administration of erythromycin, but no significant effect on food intake was obtained. These data suggested that erythromycin did not stimulate feeding in fasted chicks.