[Disordered permeability of the gastrointestinal tract barrier for macromolecules and the possibilities for its...

Macromolecular absorption of food and microbial antigens being enhanced in the intestine under pathological conditions may well be the cause of such diseases as food allergy, coeliac disease, Crohn's disease, atopic eczema, etc. The polyethyleneglycol-4000 (PEG-4000) and food antigens absorption was found to be similar in the animal intestine. The PEG-4000 gastrointestinal permeability is considerably increased in the rats with anaphylaxis, experimental biliary malabsorption and experimental colitis. Fatty acids of the omega-3 and omega-6 series as well as histidine were found to change the permeability for the PEG-4000.