AN ORALLY-ADMINISTERED GROWTH-FACTOR EXTRACT DERIVED FROM BOVINE WHEYSUPPRESSES BREATH ETHANE IN COLITIC RATS

Background: Lipid peroxidation is a potential mechanism of bowel damag e in colitis. The effect of oral consumption of a bovine whey-derived growth factor extract (WGFE) on lipid peroxidation was assessed using the ethane breath test in the dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) model of u lcerative colitis (UC) in rats. Methods: Groups of rats consumed water (control), 2% DSS in drinking water, 2% DSS with a WGFE-supplemented diet, or 2% DSS plus prednisolone (1 mg . kg(-1) . day(-1)) for 6 week s, changing to sulphasalazine (100 mg . kg(-1) . day(-1)) for the subs equent 4 weeks. Ethane breath tests were conducted on all animals on d ays 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 (acute phase) and weeks 3, 6, and 9 (chronic ph ase) after commencement of DSS consumption. Results: There were no sig nificant differences in ethane production between any groups during th e acute phase. Ethane was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in rats c onsuming DSS alone in week 6 compared with control but had decreased t o control levels by week 9. WGFE and conventional therapy were effecti ve in suppressing ethane production in week 3. Conclusions: WGFE is as effective as conventional therapies at limiting ethane production and thus ostensibly colonic lipid peroxidation in the early phases of exp erimental chronic UC.