Abstract
Net water absorption, unidirectional fluxes and sodium and potossium absorption from oral rehydration solutions (ORS) of varying solute compositions were studied in normal and secreting rat jejunum using an invivo steady state perfusion technique. Tritiated water and phenol red were used as markers with at least five animals in each group.
The addition of glycine to ORS was found to be ineffective in animal and clinical studies. The effects of other amino acids including leucine which has a sodium independent transport pathway have now been investigated. The standard ORS perfused (A) was the World Health Organization formula containing in mmol/l Na 90, and glucose 110. The other solutions perfused contained in mmol/l Na 90 and glucose 60 plus in B leucine 50, C alanine 50, and D phenylalanine 50. In a second series of experiments cholera toxin 75mcg was instilled into the gut prior to perfusion. The net water absorption in normal gut in μl/min/g ± 1SD was for A 17.4 ± 3.7, which was signigicantly less than for B 43.9 ± 7.2 (P <0.001), C 24.0 ± 4.3 (P <0.05) and D 32.5 ± 5.3 (P <0.001). In the cholera toxin treated gut perfusion with B resulted in net absoiption (9.4 ± 9.8 μl/min/g) whereas net secretion continued with solutions A, C and D, the rates being respectively -2.4 ± 3.0, -4.8 ± 8.2 and -7.7 ± 5.0 μl/min/g. The associated changes in unidirectional fluxes and electrolyte absorption will also be discussed. This animal study suggests that clinical studies in children using ORS containing leucine should be considered.
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Sandhu, B., Pillai, C., Burston, D. et al. 64 ORAL REDHYRATION SOLUTIONS – EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF NET WATER AN ELECTROLYTE ABSORPTION. Pediatr Res 24, 415 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198809000-00087
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198809000-00087