Involvement of Nitric Oxide in the Delayed Crop Emptying Rate Induced by Medium Chain Triacylglycerol in the Chicken

The effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a spontaneous NO releaser, on the forward passage of the crop contents of chicks receiving a diet containing medium chain triacylglycerol (MCT) was studied, because dietary MCT or inhibition of NO production delayed the crop emptying of chicks. MCT diets containing graded levels (0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1%) of SNP were given to chicks by gavage. Crop emptying rate was significantly delayed as dietary SNP increased, which suggested that the effect of dietary MCT on the crop emptying might not be associated with NOS inhibition.