Abstract: A method of assessing the state of the lining of the small intestine in a mammal or human injesting a suitable labelled test substrate which requires conversion by a brush border enzyme for transport across the small intestinal lining. Suitable substrates include sucrose and maltose. The transport of these can very conveniently be measured by assessing the amount of label present in carbon dioxide expelled in the breath after a period of time. It has been shown that this method has application to assessing damage cause by chemotherapeutic induced mucositis as well as gastroenteritis with an infectious cause.

Abstract: A method of assessing the state of the lining of the small intestine in a mammal or human injesting a suitable labelled test substrate which requires conversion by a brush border enzyme for transport across the small intestinal lining. Suitable substrates include sucrose and maltose. The transport of these can very conveniently be measured by assessing the amount of label present in carbon dioxide expelled in the breath after a period of time. It has been shown that this method has application to assessing damage cause by chemotherapeutic induced mucositis as well as gastroenteritis with an infectious cause.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of the general formula: NO2-A-B wherein A is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain of 14-26 carbon atoms and B is (CH2)n(COOH)m in which n is an integer from 0 to 2 and m is an integer from 0 to 2; or of general formula (I), wherein A? is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain of 9-26 carbon atoms, X is oxygen or is absent and B? is (CH2)j(COOH)k in which j is an integer from 1 to 3 and k is 0 or 1; and the derivatives thereof in which the hydrocarbon chain includes one or more than one substitution selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, hydroperoxy, epoxy and peroxy. These compounds have biological activity, e.g. as anti-infective or anti-inflammatory agents.