Intestinal drug absorption kinetics determined in Ussing chambers is affected by the nature of the physiological media

Authors

  • Godefroy Bruno MAMADOU Institut Galien Paris Sud, / Université Paris-Saclay, France
  • Linh Chi BUI Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Paris, France.
  • Ferdinand KOUOH ELOMBO Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, 812 Yaoundé, Cameroon.
  • Nicolas LIMAS-NZOUZI Laboratoires TBC. UFR3S, Dept de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, France
  • Nathalie Ialy-Radio Physics for Medicine Paris, Inserm U1273, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, CNRS UMR 8063
  • Bruno ETO Laboratoires TBC. UFR3S, Dept de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, France
  • Gilles PONCHEL Institut Galien Paris Sud, / Université Paris-Saclay, France

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether the nature of the physiological medium influences experimentally determined jejunal permeability. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) and vitamin C were used because their absorption pathways are well characterized. The study showed that the composition of the physiological solutions influenced (i) the conductance (G) of the intestinal mucosa and (ii) the intestinal permeation of acetaminophen and vitamin C. After 2 h, the transintestinal flux (Jms) of vitamin C was J=31.4 ± 1.44 µg.h⁻¹.cm⁻² with Ringer's solution, while with Sorensen's solution it was J=51.1 ± 7.09 µg.h⁻¹.cm⁻² and J=15.8 ± 1.92 µg.h⁻¹.cm⁻² with sodium-free Ringer's solution. The acetaminophen flux was J=17.9 ± 1.39 µg.h⁻¹.cm⁻² with Ringer's solution, while with Sorensen's solution it was J=12.6 ± 1.99 µg.h⁻¹.cm⁻². A strong correlation (R² = 0.979) was observed between conductance and vitamin C fluxes with different solutions, including Ringer’s, Sorensen’s, and sodium-free Ringer’s. For acetaminophen, the correlation was significant only with Ringer’s solution (R² = 0.976). The composition of the physiological solutions also influenced tissue responses to pharmacological effectors such as glucose and carbacholine. The proximal jejunum, when incubated in Ussing chambers, exhibited less morphological deterioration of epithelial villi. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that commonly used physiological media can affect the functional viability of intestinal tissue and influence experimental permeability data, highlighting the importance of carefully considering medium composition in in vitro intestinal drug absorption studies.

Keywords: Intestinal absorption, physiological buffers composition, rat intestine, jejunum, physiological media, Ussing chambers, vitamin C, acetaminophen.

Keywords:

Intestinal absorption, physiological buffers composition, rat intestine, physiological media, Ussing chambers, vitamin C, acetaminophen

DOI

https://doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v16i4.7687

Author Biographies

Godefroy Bruno MAMADOU , Institut Galien Paris Sud, / Université Paris-Saclay, France

Institut Galien Paris Sud, / Université Paris-Saclay, France

Laboratoires TBC. UFR3S, Dept de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, France

Linh Chi BUI , Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Paris, France.

Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, Paris, France. 

Ferdinand KOUOH ELOMBO , Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, 812 Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, 812 Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Nicolas LIMAS-NZOUZI , Laboratoires TBC. UFR3S, Dept de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, France

Laboratoires TBC. UFR3S, Dept de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, France

Nathalie Ialy-Radio, Physics for Medicine Paris, Inserm U1273, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, CNRS UMR 8063

Physics for Medicine Paris, Inserm U1273, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, CNRS UMR 8063

Bruno ETO , Laboratoires TBC. UFR3S, Dept de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, France

Laboratoires TBC. UFR3S, Dept de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, France

Gilles PONCHEL, Institut Galien Paris Sud, / Université Paris-Saclay, France

Institut Galien Paris Sud, / Université Paris-Saclay, France

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Published

2026-04-15
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How to Cite

1.
Mamadou GB, BUI LC, KOUOH ELOMBO F, LIMAS-NZOUZI N, Ialy-Radio N, ETO B, et al. Intestinal drug absorption kinetics determined in Ussing chambers is affected by the nature of the physiological media. J. Drug Delivery Ther. [Internet]. 2026 Apr. 15 [cited 2026 Apr. 18];16(4):58-67. Available from: https://jddtonline.info/index.php/jddt/article/view/7687

How to Cite

1.
Mamadou GB, BUI LC, KOUOH ELOMBO F, LIMAS-NZOUZI N, Ialy-Radio N, ETO B, et al. Intestinal drug absorption kinetics determined in Ussing chambers is affected by the nature of the physiological media. J. Drug Delivery Ther. [Internet]. 2026 Apr. 15 [cited 2026 Apr. 18];16(4):58-67. Available from: https://jddtonline.info/index.php/jddt/article/view/7687