An orally administered growth factor extract derived from bovine whey suppresses breath ethane in colitic rats.
BACKGROUND
Lipid peroxidation is a potential mechanism of bowel damage 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 ulcerative 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 x kg(-1) x day(-1)) for 6 weeks, changing to sulphasalazine (100 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1)) for the subsequent 4 weeks. Ethane breath tests were conducted on all animals on days 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 (acute phase) and weeks 3, 6, and 9 (chronic phase) after commencement of DSS consumption.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in ethane production between any groups during the acute phase. Ethane was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in rats consuming DSS alone in week 6 compared with control but had decreased to control levels by week 9. WGFE and conventional therapy were effective 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 experimental chronic UC.
Dept. of Physiology, The University of Adelaide, and South Australia Cooperative Research Centre for Tissue Growth and Repair, Australia.
S N
SN
Porter
G S
GS
Howarth
R N
RN
Butler
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001944:Breath Tests; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004980:Ethane / Q000032:analysis*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D006133:Growth Substances; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D011239:Prednisolone; D004980:Ethane