title: Trophic effect of short chain fatty acids on mucosal handling of ions by the defunctioned colon.
abstract: Sodium and water absorption were measured in defunctioned loops of colon of dogs either in the presence or in the absence of the bacterial fatty acid, n-butyrate. In freshly defunctioned colonic loops n-butyrate enhanced sodium absorption twofold (P less than 0.05) and promoted sodium absorption for 48 h. In the absence of n-butyrate, defunctioned loops lost the ability to absorb sodium and water within 48 h. Pre-treatment of colonic loops with fatty acids for 3 h significantly diminished (P less than 0.05) sodium and water losses into the colonic lumen compared with loops pre-treated with saline only. Butyrate was absorbed at a steady rate even when no sodium was absorbed. Results suggest that fatty acids act on the colonic mucosa to exert a trophic effect on absorption of sodium. This trophic effect determines the efficiency of absorption of ions and could have clinical implications in the genesis of postoperative diarrhoea.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D012964:Sodium