Effects of sucrose fatty acid esters (sugar esters) on the intestinal absorption of poorly absorbable drugs were examined by an in situ closed loop method in rats. 5(6)-Carboxyfluorescein (CF) and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextrans (FDs) with various molecular weights were used as model drugs of poorly absorbable drugs. The absorption of CF from the rat small intestine was significantly enhanced in the presence of various sugar esters and a maximal absorption enhancing effect was observed in the presence of 0.5%(w/v) S-1670. The absorption enhancing effect of S-1670 in the small intestine decreased as the molecular weights of drugs increased. Moreover, we evaluated the intestinal membrane damage with or without various sugar esters. These sugar esters (0.5%(w/v)) did not increase the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), suggesting that these sugar esters did not cause serious membrane damage to the intestinal epithelium. Furthermore, these sugar esters increased membrane fluidity of lipid layers of the intestinal brush border membranes and decreased the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of Caco-2 cells. Therefore, these findings suggested that these sugar esters might improve the intestinal absorption of poorly absorbable drugs via a transcellular and a paracellular pathways.