[Decrease of disaccharidase activity following application of bencyclan-hydrogenfumarate (author's transl)].

The disaccharidase activity of the small bowel mucosa of the rat is decreased by intraperitoneal application of Bencyclan-hydrogenfumarate. The doses applied were 10, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight. The decrease rate after 100 mg/kg attained up to 50% of the control values. Furthermore, a reduction of villous height and an increase of the crypt depth has been observed in correlation with the enzyme activity decrease. Though functional and morphological alterations show a correlation, they cannot be explained by an antimetabolic-like effect because of the fact that the enzyme function recovers 72 h after application of the drug. Whilst our results do not sustain a cytostatic effect of Bencyclan-hydrogenfumarate, there is no doubt that the intraperitoneally applied drug influences the disaccharidase activity. These facts have to be considered in clinical therapy.