Abstract
Relation between diminution of intestinal tissues brought about by fasting and/or by treatment with antineoplastic agents and intestinal absorption of drugs was investigated. Both in fasted and antineoplastic agent pretreated rats, intestinal absorption was markedly decreased in a similar manner. In the latter case, a remarkable loss in the weight of small intestine with a little decrease in the body weight was noted. These phenomena are closely resembled the results observed in fasted rats which showed a severe atrophy in intestine rather than in body. In all cases, there exists a close relation between drug absorption and intestinal weight. The loss of the latter seemed to be partly due to a decrease in mucosal tissues, thus resulting in the reduction of surface area. From these results, it is concluded that a reduction in the absorptive surface area of intestine seems to be one of the predominant factors which induced the apparent fall in intestinal drug absorption observed in fasted and antineoplastic agent pretreated rats under the experimental conditions.
