Effects of Croton Oil on Sugar Absorption by Isolated Surviving Guinea Pig Intestine

Summary

1. Croton oil (0.5%), when present in an oxygenated Ringer medium circulating through lumen of isolated surviving guinea pig intestine, inhibits active glucose absorption. It has relatively little effect, under identical experimental conditions, on active galactose absorption. 2. Castor oil has much smaller activity than croton oil. Cod liver oil and olive oil, under same experimental conditions, have little or no effect on glucose absorption by the isolated intestine. 3. Presence of L-phenylalanine in the mucosal solution diminishes inhibition of active glucose absorption by croton oil. D-phenylalanine. under same conditions, has little or no effect. L-phenylalanine when present only in the serosal solution has little or no effect on croton oil inhibition. Glycine and DL-methionine resemble, but are less effective than, L-phenylalanine in diminishing croton oil inhibition. Results indicate that croton oil inhibition may be mediated through some phase of intestinal amino acid metabolism.