A semichronic diarrheal model

A method of producing semichronic diarrhea is presented. It has been shown that, when fed a combination diet of 50% lactose and 50% commercially available feed, rats are subjected to continuous diarrhea, which lasts for 96 hr or more. The relative lack of the enzyme lactase in the rat results in the accumulation of lactose in the gut and probably by an osmotic effect, sets up conditions for the passage of a watery diarrhea. Various combinations of lactose and commercially available feed were tried and it was observed that rats function without any ill effects (e.g., body-weight loss) and produce consistent watery diarrhea with the above-mentioned combination.