Ceruletide analgesia in biliary colic

Ceruletide is a decapeptide isolated from the skin of an Australian frog. Its chemical and biologic relationship to cholecystokinin and its potent relaxant effect on the sphincter of Oddi makes it useful in biliary colic. In this double-blind placebo-controlled experiment, 60 subjects with moderate to severe pain caused by biliary colic were injected with ceruletide, 1 ng/kg iv or with an equal volume of saline solution. Pain in the right hypochondrium, referred pain, and Murphy's sign were scored before and after treatment. Data indicate that ceruletide is effective in biliary colic.