Fluid therapy with specific mucopolysaccharides. A new approach to control diarrhea.

An evaluation is given of the shortcomings of existing oral fluid therapies and their consequences: lack of protection of the intestinal wall and the supply of unabsorbed carbohydrates to the large intestine. The inclusion of specific mucopolysaccharides having a polyxylose backbone and galactose end residues in the side chains seems to offer effective protection of the intestinal wall. A trial conducted in experimentally infected calves (E. coli) shows that this concept of oral fluid therapy limits the number of diarrhea days and induces better growth in calves; a more complete glucose absorption and limitation of the supply of unabsorbed carbohydrates to the large intestine was shown in a trial conducted in human patients with a rotavirus enteritis.