No effect of bolus glutamine supplementation on the postresectional adaptation of small bowel mucosa in rats receiving chow ad libitum

Objective: Early postoperative enteral feeding has been reported to stimula te intestinal mucosa proliferation. Dietary components influence the intest inal adaptive response after resection and glutamine is a preferential nutr ient to enterocytes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of bolus glutamine supplementation on intestinal adaptation. Methods: Male Wistar rats underwent a 65% small bowel resection, The rats were divided in to three groups receiving glutamine 2 g/kg/day, isonitrogenous glycine or s aline by gavage for 10 days. All the rats were provided with ordinary rat c how ad libitum. Sampling was done 10 days after resection, Animals fed ordi nary rat chow without surgery or specific treatment served as control. Resu lts: Mucosal wet weight, DNA, RNA, protein contents and sucrose activity, a s well as villus height increased in the ileal remnant. No significant diff erences in any of these parameters or body weight could be found between th e three groups. Conclusion: Postoperative enteral bolus glutamine supplemen tation at a dose of 2 g/kg b.w. did not enhance the adaptation of the resid ual intestine 10 days after massive intestinal resection in the rat. Copyri ght (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.