Increased absorption of iodochlorhydroxyquin by rat intestine in the presence of solubilizing agents.

The intestinal absorption of iodochlorhydroxyquin (clioquinol) by the rat was studied by determining the radioactivity in the bile, blood and several organs 90 min after direct application of 125I-labeled clioquinol into the duodenum. The addition of solubilizing agents such as carboxymethyl-cellulose and lauryl sulfate to clioquinol preparation markedly enhanced the intestinal absorption of the drug in either the presence of absence of bile secretion which, by itself, increased the drug absorption. Possible significance of the enhanced absorption of clioquinol by solubilizing agents in the etiology of subacute myelo-optic neuropathy (SMON) in Japan is discussed.