title: Site of bismuth absorption from bismuth subsalicylate: implications for treatment of colonic conditions.
abstract: Poorly absorbed bismuth preparations may benefit a variety of chronic colonic conditions including ulcerative colitis. Bismuth-induced neurotoxicity is a potential complication of the chronic use of these preparations, and a less-absorbable form of bismuth is needed. If bismuth absorption occurs primarily in the upper gut, a delayed-release bismuth preparation could reduce absorption. We studied the site of bismuth absorption from bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) in rats. For 15 days, BSS (50 mg/day) was ingested or infused directly into the cecum via a chronically implanted cannula. Oral BSS resulted in serum and urine bismuth levels many times higher (3.5 +/- 0.3 microg/liter and 1,570 +/- 286 microg/g creatinine, respectively) than with cecal administration (undetectable (<1.5 microg/liter) and 75 +/- 25 microg/g creatinine). Thus, bismuth absorption from BSS occurred almost entirely in the upper gut. These findings provide a rationale for a similar study of delayed-release bismuth preparations in humans.
authors.affiliation: Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minnesota 55417, USA.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furne
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stiehm
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garten
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Levitt
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001729:Bismuth / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000652:urine; D002432:Cecum; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012459:Salicylates / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012459:Salicylates; C015715:bismuth subsalicylate; D003404:Creatinine; D001729:Bismuth