DO PELLET FORMULATIONS EMPTY FROM THE STOMACH WITH FOOD

The aim of the present study was to correlate the gastric emptying (GE) of a pellet formulation with changes in gastrointestinal (GI) motility. Eight, healthy, male subjects each received one capsule containing radiolabelled pellets, a radiolabelled meal and a radiotelemetry capsule (RTC). Transit of the radiolabelled formulations was followed by gamma scintigraphy. The RTC is used to detect contractile activity in the GI tract. GE of the pellet formulation did not follow any particular trend. In two of the eight subjects, the radiolabelled meal and the pellet formulation emptied from the stomach at similar rates, however, in the other six subjects the pellet formulation emptied from the stomach slower than the coadministered radiolabelled meal. The possible reasons for the delayed emptying of the pellet formulation are discussed.