Absorption of nicotinic acid and nicotinamide from rat small intestine in vitro.

Intestinal absorption of nicotinic acid and nicotinamide was studied using everted sacs of rat small intestine. Transport down the concentration gradient showed saturation kinetics at low concentrations and linear kinetics at higher concentrations. Addition of ouabain or omission of sodium ions decreased absorption. Neither compound was absorbed against a concentration gradient. The mode of transport was thought to be carrier-mediated facilitated diffusion at lower concentrations masked by passive diffusion at higher concentrations.