This contains essential electrolytes & carbohydrate (in the form of processed rice) which are vital for a dehydrating patient in conditions such as cholera, acute diarrhoea, vomiting & excessive sweating.
In the normal healthy intestine, there is a continuous exchange of water through the intestinal wall – up to 20 liters of water is secreted and very nearly as much is reabsorbed every 24 hours – this mechanism allows the absorption of soluble metabolites from digested food into the bloodstream.
In a state of diarrheal disease the balance is upset and much more water is secreted than is reabsorbed causing a net loss to the body which can be as high as several liters a day. In addition to water, Chloride ion (CI-), extracellular sodium ion (Na+) & intracellular potassium ion (K+) are also lost. This is effectively replenishes the lost electrolytes in the body.