Abstract
1. The pentavalent organic arsenical compounds carbarsone, tryparsamide, and cacodylic acid were absorbed from the rat small intestine at rates directly proportional to concentration over a 100-fold range.
2. Absorption half-times (min) were: carbarsone, 87; tryparsamide, 184; and cacodylic acid, 201.
3. Absorption rates (first-order rate constants) ranked in the same order as the CHCl3-to-water partition coefficients of the compounds as measured at pH 5·3.
4. The results suggested that these organo-metallic compounds are absorbed mainly by a process of simple diffusion.