Experimental and clinical evaluation of small peptides as a nitrogen source in enteral nutrition (I) . Nutritional usefulness following massive small bowel resection in the rat
Kobayashi, N.; Tanimura, H.; Hikasa, Y.
Nihon Geka Hokan. Archiv für Japanische Chirurgie 53(1): 125-132
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-9152 PMID: 6437360 Document Number: 230715
A comparative study between 2 enteral nutritional diets for differing nitrogen sources, was performed in rats given small peptides (SP-ED group) or free amino acids mixture (AA-ED group) after 70% resection of the small bowel in rats to simulate human malabsorption syndrome. After 9 days, body weight was increased 14.7% in the SP-ED group, and 11.0% in the AA-ED group. The nutritional assessments expressed as the net protein utilization (NPU) value calculated from nitrogen balance was higher in the SP-ED group (45%) than in the AA-ED group (25-30%). Analysis of urinary nitrogen compounds revealed that urea nitrogen excretion and early postoperative ammonium excretion were lower in the SP-ED group. Compared to the control group, serum aminograms showed that only alanine increased in the SP-ED group, while remarkable changes in the amino acid patterns were observed in the AA-ED group. The small peptides are more effectively absorbed and utilized by tissues than the free amino acid mixture in enteral diets.