Rice gruels have been used as
home remedies to treat
dehydration associated with diarrheal illness in developing countries. These preparations have produced conflicting results, most likely due to the heterogeneity of
starch used. We investigated whether the modified tapioca
starch, Textra (TX), at 5.0 or 10.0 g/L added to a 90 mmol/L Na+-111 mmol
glucose oral rehydration solution (
ORS) enhanced water and
electrolyte absorption in two models of
diarrhea. To induce a secretory state (model A), the jejunum of juvenile rats was perfused with 10 mmol/L
theophylline (THEO) under
anesthesia and then perfused with the solutions indicated above. To produce chronic osmotic-secretory
diarrhea (model B), rats had a
magnesium citrate-
phenolphthalein solution as the sole fluid source for 1 wk, and then were perfused as the THEO-treated rats. Water,
electrolyte, and
glucose absorption were measured during both perfusions. As an extension of the perfusion studies, we compared how fast rats recovered from chronic osmotic
diarrhea by offering them either water,
ORS, or
ORS containing 5.0 g/L TX along with solid food. Recovery rate markers were measured after 24 h and included
weight gain, food and fluid intake, and stool output. In model A, addition of 5.0 g/L TX to
ORS reversed Na+ secretion and improved net water as well as K+ and
glucose absorption, compared with THEO-treated rats perfused with
ORS without TX. In model B, addition of TX to
ORS increased water, Na+, K+, and
glucose absorption, compared with rats perfused without TX. Increasing TX from 5.0 to 10.0 g/L had no additional benefit. In recovery experiments, animals with free access to
ORS with TX had significantly greater
weight gain and decreased stool output compared with animals recovering with water or
ORS without TX. Our experiments suggest that TX may be a useful additive to standard
ORS to promote fluid and
electrolyte absorption and may provide additional energy without increasing
ORS osmotic load.