The present study examined the hypothesis that altered motility of the gastrointestinal tract affects absorption of probe markers of intestinal permeability. Seven healthy subjects, aged 32-44 years, received saline, 600 micrograms atropine or 10 mg metoclopramide in randomized order at weekly intervals. After 10 min they ingested a test solution containing 5 g lactulose, 5 g mannitol and 2 g 3-O-methyl glucose in 100 ml tap water. The molarity of the solution was 542 mmol l-1 and the dose administered was 80 ml m-2 body surface area. Gastric emptying was measured by ultrasound, mouth-to-caecum transit time by breath hydrogen analysis and sugar concentrations by gas-liquid chromatography. Gastric emptying half-times (min) were [mean (95% confidence intervals)] 14.9 (11:4-18.5) after saline, 22 (18.7-25.2) after atropine and 10.3 (7.0-12.6) after metoclopramide (P less than 0.002). Transit times (min) were 68.9 (52-85.2) after saline, 143 (126-159) after atropine and 38 (21.2-54.5) after metoclopramide; P less than 0.0001. Analysis of plasma levels of mannitol and 3-O-methyl glucose showed a significant within-subject effect of drug with time (P less than 0.03). Urinary excretion of mannitol in the first 5 h after ingestion of the test solution was 1256 (974-1620) mg after saline, 1560 (1210-2013) mg after atropine and 955 (740-1232) mg after metoclopramide (P less than 0.03). There were no significant differences in lactulose and 3-O-methyl glucose urinary excretion between drug treatments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)