INTESTINAL, PANCREATIC, AND HEPATIC-EFFECTS OF GASTROINTESTINAL HORMONES IN A TOTAL PARENTERAL-NUTRITION RAT MODEL

The adverse effects of long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN) are well documented. Lack of gastrointestinal (GI) stimulation from oral f eeding, reduction of GI hormone secretion, and interruption of enteroh epatic circulation of bile may be found. TPN results in atrophy of the digestive system, intestinal bacterial overgrowth and translocation, liver cell damage, and gallstone formation. In addition, the increase incidence of sepsis of gut origin may lead to an increase in mortality . In some studies, results of the administration of GI hormones to pat ients receiving prolonged TPN suggest the possibility of reducing some of the adverse effects of long-term TPN. To evaluate the role of GI h ormone in the prevention of adverse effects of TPN, we designed the fo llowing study: 50 young adult male Wistar rats, weighing approximately 200 g, were divided into five equal groups. All animals received iden tical TPN infusate for 7 days. GI hormone was added to the TPN infusat e as follows: Group A (control) received no GI hormone, group B was gi ven glucagon at a dosage of 330 mug/kg per day, group C was administer ed cholecystokinin 2 Ivy dog units twice a day, group D received secre tin 2 clinical units twice a day, and group E was given both cholecyst okinin and secretin at the dosages stated for groups C and D. Maintena nce of mucosal brush-border hydrolase activity was found in group B. N either atrophy of the pancreas nor hypoplasia of intestinal villi was observed in groups C and D. Group C showed improvement of liver functi on-associated tests, better weight gain, and acceleration of enterohep atic circulation of bile. Mucosal weight and DNA contents were increas ed in group D, and acceleration of cholesterol catabolism was found in group E. We concluded that cholecystokinin seems capable of preventin g some adverse effects of 7-day TPN treatment on the GI system. The be nefit of glucagon or secretin administration was limited.