Influence of anoxia on active sugar absorption by the intestine

Abstract

A study has been made, on rats, of the effect of anoxia (atmospheres N2/O2 with low PO2) on the intestinal absorption of various sugars (sol. 0.3 M) by the Sols and Ponz method of successive absorptions in vivo.

On each animal an absorption was performed in normal atmosphere, another at PO2 of 55 mm of Hg, a third again in air, and the final one in anoxia.

With D-glucose and D-galactose, actively transportable su­ gars, the anoxia produces inhibitions of 40 to 50 %. The ab­ sorption in normal atmosphere, immediately after a period of anoxia, remains inhibited (17-30 %) with a tendency to normalize. If, before beginning the absorption, they are left for 20 to 30 minutes in normal atmosphere, the absorption is already practically normal.

With D-fructose and L-arabinose, which are not actively transportable sugars, there is no inhibition by anoxia.

It seems therefore, that the active transport of sugars requires a suitable contribution of oxygen to the mucose. These in vivo results confirm previous in vitro observations in anaerobiosis, and reflect the sensitivity of the active transport of sugars to partial anoxia.