Impact on intestinal permeability of pediatric hyperosmolar formulations after dilution: Studies with rat perfusion method

Abstract

There is no consensus on administering hyperosmolar formulations by mouth to neonates. In 1976, the Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics published a recommendation of not administer formulations with an osmolarity higher than 400 mOsm/L due to the possible damage to intestine and relationship with necrotizing enterocolitis. Since this recommendation, exists a general trend of reducing osmolality of oral formulations without considering the pharmacokinetics of absorption of the drugs. The objective of this study was to characterize the permeability values of drugs formulated at different osmolalities by using a well-established rat intestinal perfusion model and to measure the osmolality of the most used formulations in our neonatology unit.