Assessment of intestinal permeability inpreruminant calves by lactulose/mannitol test

Abstract

The aim of this study was to utilize the lactulose/mannitol test for assessment of intestinal permeability (IP) in preruminant calves. IP was increased experimentally by administration of Indomethacin. Both sugar markers were determined simultaneously as silyl-derivates in 5 h urinary production using the gas liquid chromatography technique. The index of IP was determined as the ratio between urinary recovery (%) of 10 g lactulose to 5 g D-mannitol. The IP index in control calves was 0.2420.048. Doses of 20 and 60 mg Indomethacin did not significantly affect IP, but the IP index was significantly enhanced in calves receiving 120 mg of drug (0.5410.091; P<0.01). Results of this study show that ratio of lactulose to D-mannitol in urine reflected the treatment by the highest dose of Indomethacin and that the test may be used for determination of IP in preruminant calves.