Use of inverted intestinal sacs to assess the effect of gastrointestinal insult on carcinogen absorption.

Rats were subjected to various forms of treatment in the manner likely to induce gastrointestinal insult. These and control animals were sacrificed and, using inverted sacs, the rate of absorption of either dimethylnitrosamine and benzo(a)pyrene determined. The gastrointestinal injury resulting from the differing treatments did not significantly affect the absorption of benzo(a)pyrene, whereas that of dimethylnitrosamine was significantly increased after each incubation time, most notably by alcohol pretreatment. The results demonstrate that intestinal damage increases the absorption of some carcinogens.