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The Influence of Parenteral Glutamine and Branched‐Chain Amino Acids on Total Parenteral Nutrition—Induced Atrophy of the Gut
Author(s) -
Platell Cameron,
Mccauley Rosalie,
Mcculloch Ross,
Hall John
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.935
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1941-2444
pISSN - 0148-6071
DOI - 10.1177/0148607193017004348
Subject(s) - parenteral nutrition , glutamine , amino acid , medicine , branched chain amino acid , atrophy , biochemistry , endocrinology , chemistry , leucine
We tested the hypothesis that the provision of glutamine and branched‐chain amino acids would reverse the gut atrophy that accompanies parenteral nutrition. Three hundred seventy‐five rats were randomized into 15 groups to receive either conventional parenteral nutrition, rat food, glutamine‐enriched parenteral nutrition (0.5% to 2.5%), branched‐chain amino acid‐enriched parenteral nutrition (0.8% to 2.0%), or glutamine plus branched‐chain amino acid‐enriched parenteral nutrition (0.5%/0.4% to 1.25%/1/0%). When compared with effects of conventional parenteral nutrition, the infusion of either glutamine or branched‐chain amino acids partially reversed, in a dose‐dependent manner, atrophy of the small bowel as assessed by gut weight (p <.05), mucosal weight ( p <.05), villous height ( p <.05), crypt cell production rate ( p <.05), and mucosal protein concentration ( p <.05). There was no effect on the large bowel. These results suggest that the parenteral infusion of either glutamine or branched‐chain amino acids partially reverses the small‐bowel atrophy that is associated with the infusion of solutions of conventional parenteral nutrients. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 17: 348–354, 1993)