B. Czernichow et al., COMPARISON OF ENTERAL OR PARENTERAL ADMINISTRATION OF MEDIUM-CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES ON INTESTINAL-MUCOSA IN ADULT-RATS, Nutrition research, 16(5), 1996, pp. 797-804
The effects of a diet containing medium chain (MCT) or long chain trig
lycerides (LCT) administered either enterally or parenterally on intes
tinal morphology and function were compared. Adult rats received eithe
r intragastrically or intravenously for 7 days an isoenergetic mixture
containing either 50%MCT/50%LCT or 100%LCT. Rats fed by enteral route
the diet containing MCT exhibited in the proximal intestine a signifi
cant elevation in the mucosal weights. MCT given enterally initiated i
n the jejunum an increase in crypt depth, epithelial cell renewal and
cell migration rates from the crypt base to the villus tip. Parenteral
feeding caused shortening of the villi in both the jejunum and ileum
and lower sucrase activity in the jejunum and aminopeptidase activity
in the ileum. No specific effects of the lipid composition were observ
ed by parenteral route. In conclusion MCT did not prevent the villus h
ypotrophy or the decrease in hydrolase activities observed in rats fed
parenterally but the enteral infusion of MCT enhanced mucosal mass an
d favoured epithelial cell renewal in the proximal intestine.