The effect of oral administration of L-arginine on anal resting pressure and anodermal blood flow in healthy volunteers.
BACKGROUND
Topical application of L-arginine, the precursor of nitric oxide, reduces anal resting pressure without significant side effects and may therefore be of benefit in the treatment of anal fissure. This in vivo study investigated the effect of orally administered L-arginine on anal resting pressure and anodermal blood flow in healthy volunteers.


METHODS
Eight healthy volunteers took 3 sachets of Arginaid (Novartis Consumer Health, Breda, The Netherlands) containing 15 g L-arginine on a daily basis, for 7 days. At the start of the experiment (day 0) and on days 3 and 7, plasma levels of L-arginine, anal resting pressures and anodermal blood flow were determined.


RESULTS
Arginine plasma levels increased from 107.0+/-8.6 micromol/l (day 0) to 283.7+/-44.0 micromol/l on day 3 (p< 0.01) and remained elevated at day 7 (157.3+/-19.6 micromol/l, p<0.05). Anodermal blood flow and anal resting pressures were similar on days 0, 3 and 7.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral administration of 15 g arginine in healthy volunteers on a daily basis increased arginine plasma levels but had no influence on anodermal blood flow and anal resting pressure.
Prins
H A
HA
Department of Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. h.prins@erasmusmc.nl
Gosselink
M P
MP
Mitales
L E
LE
Buise
M P
MP
Teerlink
T
T
Esser
C
C
Schouten
W R
WR
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects*; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005401:Fissure in Ano / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011312:Pressure; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D001120:Arginine