An assessment of mucosal damage in vivo: effect of oral pretreatment with 5-fluorouracil on the intestinal first-pass metabolism of salicylamide in rabbits.

Abstract

An assessment of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced mucosal damage in vivo by measuring the metabolism of salicylamide (SAM) was investigated in rabbit intestine. The mucosal damage in the intestine 48 h after oral administration of 5-FU (30 mg/kg) was examined using a scanning electron microscope. By the oral pretreatment with 5-FU, the morphological changes of jejunal and ileal mucosa were recognized compared with the control. The intestinal first-pass metabolism of SAM was studied using in situ intestinal sacs with complete mesenteric venous blood collection. The appearance of both SAM and its metabolites into the mesenteric venous blood was measured directly by cannulating the mesenteric vein of exposed intestine and collecting all venous blood draining from the absorbing region. Following oral pretreatment with 5-FU, the appearance of SAM glucuronide (SAMG) in the mesenteric venous blood was significantly increased. The increased blood concentration of SAMG following intraduodenal administration of SAM in vivo was observed in rabbits pretreated with 5-FU orally. However, the blood concentration of SAMG after intravenous administration of SAM was not increased compared with the control. These findings suggest that the change in intestinal first-pass metabolism of SAM may be due to the intestinal mucosal damage by oral pretreatment with 5-FU. The alteration of intestinal first-pass metabolism of a marker compound may be utilized for the assessment of intestinal mucosal damage in vivo.