11.   This mucosal barrier is disrupted by the inflammation and ulceration of inflammatory bowel disease and may permit the absorption of toxic bacterial products.

12.   Enteral administration of adosrbents, if effective in inflammatory bowel disease, would represent a less invasive and a safer form of therapy than those previously used.

13.   It has been suggested that, in inflammatory bowel disease, endotoxins originating from the intestinal flora cross the disrupted intestinal mucosal barrier and enter the portal circulation.

14.   Endotoxins could then activate monocytes with the release of cytokines resulting in an inflammatory cascade and the systemic clinical and biochemical features of inflammatory bowel disease.