Absorption of lactulose from mammalian gastrointestinal tract

Abstract

1. The disaccharide lactulose (galactosyl-β-1,4-fructose) was poorly absorbed from rat small intestine in vitro and human mouth in vivo.2. These results confirm indirect clinical evidence of poor absorption from the intestine.3. The presence of calcium ions, or absence of sodium ions, had no effect on lactulose absorption from the buccal cavity.4. The presence of ouabain, or absence of Na⁺, did not decrease the absorption of lactulose from small intestine.5. It is thought that the mode of transport, in both instances, is by passive diffusion with the concentration gradient.