[Possibility of lymphatic absorption of epidermal growth factor from intestine]

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) emulsion enhanced the absorption of this factor from the intestine, especially to the intestinal lymph. Most of the radioactive EGF administered was degraded to small molecular weight materials. These degraded materials were absorbed and appeared in both the intestinal lymph and portal vein blood. However, a certain portion of EGF, although small, appeared in the lymph maintaining the original molecular mass. The MFGM emulsion used enhanced the lymphatic absorption of intact EGF, suggesting that this dosage form increased the absorption of EGF, protected the degradation of EGF in the intestine or promoted the absorption of intact EGF. The enhancing effect on the absorbed dose percentage of EGF recovered using MFGM emulsion was also observed in the portal vein plasma. However, the effect on the absorption of intact EGF was much larger in the lymph than in the portal vein.