Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) 1 receptor (CRF(1)) activation in the brain is a core pathway orchestrating the stress response. Anatomical data also support the existence of CRF signaling components within the colon. We investigated the colonic response to intraperitoneal (ip) injection of cortagine, a newly developed selective CRF(1) peptide agonist. Colonic motor function and visceral motor response (VMR) were monitored by using a modified miniaturized pressure transducer catheter in adult conscious male Sprague-Dawley rats and C57Bl/6 mice. Colonic permeability was monitored by the Evans blue method and myenteric neurons activation by Fos immunohistochemistry. Compared with vehicle, cortagine (10 microg/kg ip) significantly decreased the distal colonic transit time by 45% without affecting gastric transit, increased distal and transverse colonic contractility by 35.6 and 66.2%, respectively, and induced a 7.1-fold increase in defecation and watery diarrhea in 50% of rats during the first hour postinjection whereas intracerebroventricular (icv) cortagine (3 microg/rat) had lesser effects. Intraperitoneal (ip) cortagine also increased colonic permeability, activated proximal and distal colonic myenteric neurons, and induced visceral hypersensitivity to a second set of phasic colorectal distention (CRD). The CRF antagonist astressin (10 mug/kg ip) abolished ip cortagine-induced hyperalgesia whereas injected icv it had no effect. In mice, cortagine (30 microg/kg ip) stimulated defecation by 7.8-fold, induced 60% incidence of diarrhea, and increased VMR to CRD. Stresslike colonic alterations induced by ip cortagine in rats and mice through restricted activation of peripheral CRF(1) receptors support a role for peripheral CRF(1) signaling as the local arm of the colonic response to stress.