CHARACTERIZATION OF SUPPRESSION OF FOOD-INTAKE FOLLOWING ACUTE COLON INFLAMMATION IN THE RAT

Experimental colitis was induced in rats by intrarectal infusion of tr initrobenzenesulfonic acid and ethanol. Colitis was accompanied by a l arge suppression of food intake of 3 days duration. The reduction of f ood intake was effected through a reduction of meal size, with no chan ge in meal frequency. Those same rats demonstrating approximately 70%- 80% suppression of daily food intake showed no reduction of sham feedi ng. These data indicate that malaise alone is inadequate to explain th e suppression of food intake associated with acute colitis. Rather, th e data suggest that the suppression of eating results from an exaggera ted postprandial satiety signal elaborated during the period of acute inflammation, an interpretation consistent with the demonstration of a slowed rate of gastric emptying in association with the colitis.