Effect of microcapsulation on absorption processes in the pig

• Published in: Livestock production science 1997-11, Vol.51 (1), p.53-61
• Main Authors: Piva, A., Anfossi, P., Meola, E., Pietri, A., Panciroli, A., Bertuzzi, T., Formigoni, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; Pig; Sulfamethazine; Tryptophan
• ISSN: 0301-6226; 1872-6070
• DOI: 10.1016/S0301-6226(97)00103-6

The effect of microcapsulation with long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) on the absorption and bioavailability of nutrients and drugs was studied in pigs using microcapsulated tryptophan (TRY) and sulfamethazine (SMT). Portal concentrations of tryptophan were monitored in gilts fed a basal diet supplemented with 1.75 and 10.75 g pig −1 day −1 free-crystalline or microcapsulated TRY. Sulfamethazine plasma kinetics were studied in gilts orally administered with free-base or microcapsulated drugs (1 g pig −1) at feeding time. Blood samples were collected until 8 h and 120 h after feeding in pigs treated with TRY and SMT, respectively. Absorbed fractions of both microcapsulated TRY and SMT were lower than in the free forms by 26 and 32%, respectively, 8 h after treatment. Nevertheless, total drug bioavailability measured by the area under the plasma concentration-time curve extrapolated to infinity (AUC 0 − ∞) was not modified by microcapsulation (970 ± 202 vs. 959 ± 355 μg ml −1 h). These data suggest that microcapsulation delays absorption without affecting the bioavailability of protected compounds.