title: Oral rehydration solutions: increased water and sodium absorption by addition of a viscosity-enhancing agent in a rat model of chronic osmotic diarrhea.
abstract: Viscosity-enhancing agents such as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) can alter absorption of solutes and fluid exchange in the small intestine. We investigated whether the standard World Health Organization oral rehydration solution (WHO-ORS) with the addition of CMC would improve net water and sodium absorption in rats using an in vivo intestinal perfusion technique. Four WHO-ORS, containing either 0, 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 g/L of CMC, were perfused in rats with a well-tested model of cathartic-induced chronic osmotic diarrhea (D) and in normal controls (C). In D rats, the ORSs with CMC improved sodium absorption at the three concentrations used (p < 0.01). The same effect was shown in C rats. Net water absorption was also enhanced in D rats given ORSs with CMC, although the changes in C animals were less marked. The improvement in sodium and water absorption in both C and D rats positively correlated with the log of relative ORS viscosity. Ultrastructural examination of tissues perfused with 10 g/L of CMC showed an extended brush border glycocalyx. This study indicates that CMC added to WHO-ORS in the perfused rat jejunum improves the effectiveness of the solution by increasing sodium and water absorption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, North Shore University Hospital-Cornell University Medical College, Manhasset, New York 11030.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Go
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Sia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teichberg
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wapnir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015532:Rehydration Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D014783:Viscosity; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015532:Rehydration Solutions; D014867:Water; D012964:Sodium; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium