title: Influence of an elemental diet on 5-fluorouracil-induced morphological changes in the mouse salivary gland and colon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The elemental diet (ED) Elental® reportedly reduces adverse reactions to chemotherapy in digestive system cancer patients; however, the mechanism is unclear. Therefore, we verified the protective effect of ED against gastrointestinal disorders induced by the antineoplastic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
  
  
  METHODS
  After 5 days of tail vein injections of 40 mg/kg/day 5-FU in female BALB/c mice, the mice were given oral ED (ED group) or dextrin with the same number of calories (control group). We measured the weight of salivary glands and the PAS-positive area of colonic mucosa and verified the antitumor effect in tumor-bearing mice given 5-FU and ED.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although body weight decreased after 5-FU treatment, ED group mice weighed more than control group mice. Additionally, although control mice developed diarrhea after 5-FU treatment, the ED group showed only loose stools. The control group saliva volume was approximately one sixth of the vehicle group volume after 5-FU treatment; this was improved to approximately half in the ED group. The area ratio of PAS-positive cells in the colonic mucosa was reduced by 5-FU treatment, with the ratio being higher in the ED group than that in the control group. Similar tumor growth suppression was observed in the 5-FU and ED groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ED alleviated adverse reactions to 5-FU without affecting antitumor activity. Protection against 5-FU-induced weight loss was potentially due to both improved nutritional support with combined ingredients and prevention of diarrhea that is associated with reduced colonic goblet cells and decreased saliva production from reduced salivary gland contraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regulation Biochemistry, Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamahara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan.|Department of Gastroenterology, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, 1-21-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Rei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.affiliation: Reseach Institute, Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan.
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimaki
authors.affiliation: Reseach Institute, Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikenoue
authors.affiliation: Reseach Institute, Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-8681, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Danjo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamahara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan.
authors.forename: Wasaburo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Regulation Biochemistry, Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamahara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan. t.ichika@kitasato-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005526:Food, Formulated; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: 5-FU; Colonic goblet cell; Elemental diet (ED); Salivary gland