Drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract and immunity: the mechanism of the decreased absorption of salicylic acid during systemic anaphylaxis. II.

Rats were intraperitoneally immunized with ovalbumin (egg albumin) with incomplete Freund's adjuvant, and the effect of intravenous challenge with ovalbumin on the intestinal blood flow was measured by means of hydrogen clearance method. The intestinal blood flow was significantly reduced by the antigen challenge in ovalbumin-immunized rats compared to the non-immunized rats. However, no significant change was observed on the intestinal blood flow in rats without challenge of the antigen. Moreover, the blood flow reduction was not found in ovalbumin-immunized rats challenged with bovine gamma-globulin. The effect was maintained for at least 16 weeks after the third immunization, but the reduced blood flow was gradually restored to the control level. The decrease in both blood flow and absorption of salicylic acid was recovered by nearly 70% of the control level when high dose of theophylline or caffeine was administered intravenously. In the case of gastric absorption during systemic anaphylaxis, similar results were also obtained by means of in situ loop technique. The decreased absorption of salicylic acid from the rat stomach also correlate with the reduced gastric blood flow. These findings suggest that the decreased absorption of salicylic acid from the gastrointestinal tract might be affected by the reduced blood flow during systemic anaphylaxis.