BACKGROUND AND AIMS Intestinal failure defined by the minimal energy and wet weight absorption required to avoid home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is not well described. Thus the aim of this study was to identify the minimal level of gut function necessary to avoid parenteral support using objective measurements of intestinal function. METHODS Energy (bomb calorimetry) and wet weight absorption...

Intestinal absorption and excretion are the main regulatory mechanisms for maintenance of body homeostasis of most trace elements. In spite of considerable research on trace element metabolism in man and experimental animals, the knowledge about the mechanisms involved in these processes is still limited. The characteristics of trace element metabolism, such as low fractional absorption, the pr...

Cortex Eucommia has been used as a kidney-tonifying herbal medicine with a long history of compatibility with Fructus Psoraleae. Geniposide (GP) and geniposidic acid (GPA) are the two main chemical components in Cortex Eucommia. In the present study, the effects of Fructus Psoraleae extract (FPE) on intestinal absorption kinetics of GP and GPA in rat were investigated. Twenty four male Sprague-...

Previous in vitro studies showed that the small intestine has reserve capacities for absorption of nutrients. However, the size of the reserve capacity is controversial. Therefore, we measured the intestinal capacity for absorption of energy in relation to the postprandial gastric delivery of energy into the gut. In minipigs, a 150-cm length of jejunum was perfused (1-8 kcal/min) with four nutr...

Disaccharides are hydrolyzed by their specific enzymes present in the intestinal mucosa (1-3). Although some current textbooks still state that these enzymes are secreted into the intestinal lumen (4-7), the concentrations of monosaccharide products free in intestinal contents during disaccharide absorption in vitro (8-10) have been found insufficient to support the concept of intraluminal hydr...

Triglycerides and cholesterol are important biological lipids, and their excessive intake in the diet is relevant to the development of two prevalent cardiovascular risk factors, obesity and hypercholesterolemia. Because most lipids are essentially water-insoluble molecules, their transport within and absorption from the aqueous medium of intestinal contents is rather complex. This takes place ...