Compositions of iodobenzoic acid derivatives in film-forming materials for visualization of the gastrointestinal tract

An x-ray contrast composition designed for depositing a thin, flexible film membrane onto the mucosal lining of the nutrient absorbing inner surface of the intestine of a patient to form a barrier between said nutrient absorbing inner surface and the content of said intestine, said flexible film membrane to remain bound to said mucosal lining until eliminated by normal cell turnover comprising based on w/v;

• (a) of from about 0.001 to about 15% of a polymeric material capable of forming a film membrane on the gastrointestinal tract in the pH range of from about 5 to about 8, said polymeric material being selected from the group consisting of anionic polymers carrying negative charges in the ionized form, cationic polymers carrying positive charges in the ionized form, and neutral polymers, said neutral polymers having atoms containing polarizable electrons thereon selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide;
• in combination with
• (b) of from about 0.001 to about 15% of a divalent cation to potentiate the binding of said flexible film membrane to said mucosal lining selected from the group consisting of Ca.sup.++, Mg.sup.++, Zn.sup.++ and Ba.sup.++ ;
• and
• (c) of from about 0.001 to about 75% of an x-ray contrast producing agent having the formula, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof ##STR17## wherein Z is H, halo, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl, cycloalkyl, lower alkoxy, cyano, where the alkyl and cycloalkyl groups can be substituted with halogen or halo-lower-alkyl groups;
• R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.25 alkyl, cycloalkyl, or halo-lower-alkyl, each of which may be optionally substituted with halo, fluoro-lower-alkyl, aryl, lower-alkoxy, hydroxy, carboxy, lower-alkoxy carbonyl or lower-alkoxy-carbonyloxy, (CR.sub.1 R.sub.2).sub.p --(CR.sub.3 .dbd.CR.sub.4).sub.m Q, or (CR.sub.1 R.sub.2).sub.p --C.tbd.C--Q;
• R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are independently lower-alkyl, optionally substituted with halo;
• x is 1-3;
• y is 1-4;
• n is 1-5;
• m is 1-15;
• p is 1-10;
• and
• Q is H, lower-alkyl, lower-alkenyl, lower-alkynyl, lower-alkylene, aryl, or aryl-lower alkyl
• in an aqueous, pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.