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Effects of Ammonia on the Absorption and Accumulation of Glucose, ⁴⁵Ca and ³²P from the Ligated Intestinal Loop of the Chick

Department of Animal Science, New York State College of Agriculture, and Department of Physical Biology, New York State Veterinary College, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850

The intent of this study was to determine if release of ammonia in the intestines with the subsequent complex formation with magnesium and phosphorus could interfere with the absorption of substances transported into the body by energy-requiring processes. The absorption of glucose, ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ and ³²PO₄^3- from the ligated duodenal loop of the chick was significantly lower in the presence of NH₄Cl than for animals not given the NH₄Cl in the test dose. The accumulation of ⁴⁵Ca and ³²P in the tibia was also significantly lower as the result of NH₄Cl administration. Urea, equimolar to the NH₄Cl, showed no effect on intestinal absorption or bone accumulation, indicating little or no hydrolysis of urea in the chick duodenum in the 20-minute test period. Glycine increased glucose absorption, while lysine decreased ³²P absorption without affecting the ³²P uptake by the tibia. It was postulated that ammonia immobilized inorganic phosphate through complex formation and thus reduced ³²P absorption. The depletion of the inorganic phosphorus could lead to insufficient available high energy phosphate for energy-requiring transport processes for glucose and calcium.

KEY WORDS: • ammonia • magnesium ammonium phosphate • ⁴⁵Ca • ³²P absorption

¹ Present address: 5-A Coldstream Avenue, Singapore 15, Singapore.

Manuscript received 18 October 1971.