Absorption of sugars and amino acids from isolated surviving intestine after experimental shock

Abstract

1. 1. The rates of absorption of glucose and of dl-alanine, d- and l-leucine, and l-glutamine by the isolated surviving guinea pig small intestine, obtained from animals that have succumbed to experimental (tourniquet) shock, are greatly reduced from the normal. 2. 2. The conversion of fructose into glucose is almost completely abolished in intestine after experimental shock, so that, although fructose diffusion per se seems to be unaffected, the total amount of sugar (glucose and fructose) absorbed by the intestine in presence of fructose is diminished by shock. 3. 3. The rate of absorption of sorbose is unaffected by experimental shock. 4. 4. The metabolic conditions set up in the isolated intestine, after experimental shock, resemble those obtained by normal intestine under anaerobiosis. 5. 5. Anoxia induced by asphyxia does not affect the absorption of glucose by the isolated intestine. Tying off the blood vessels supplying a segment of the intestine causes such metabolic changes that a cessation of active absorption of glucose by that segment of intestine is produced. 6. 6. It is concluded that during experimental shock a condition resembling that of anoxia is set up in the intestine whereby metabolic conditions are affected, resulting in a cessation of “active” absorption of glucose, fructose, and amino acids.