The Effect of Human, Rat, and Canine Gastric Juice on Ferrous Iron Absorption from the Jejunum

Abstract

Cocking, J. B. & Duthie, H. L. The effect of human, rat, and canine gastric juice on ferrous iron absorption from the jejunum. Scand. J. Gastroent. 1973, 8, 585-591.

Gastric juice from iron-replete and iron-deficient humans and rats, but not from treated pernicious anaemia patients or dogs, enhanced ferrous iron transfer through the rat jejunal wall at pH₂. Diminished iron absorption occurred from all the gastric juices at pH₆, partly from decreased iron solubility. The amount of iron retained in the intestinal wall was affected neither by the gastric juices nor by the amount of iron transferred to the carcass. The results suggest that rat and human gastric juices may contain a factor activated at an acid pH which increases intestinal iron absorption.

Key-words::

• Gastric juice
• intestine, small
• iron