THE EFFECT OF ELEMENTAL DIET ON PANCREATIC EXOCRINE SECRETION

Determined in the Model of Pancreatic Insufficiency in the Rat

Abstract

The pancreatic insufficiency was simulated in terms of intestinal enzyme activities by excluding 90% of pancreatic juice from the intestine, since we have reported that the basal secretion of pancreas could be maintained by the returning of as little as 10% of pancreatic juice to the intestine. Then, the pancreatic secretory response to the elemental diet was determined in pancreatic insufficiency model and in controls. The intraduodenal infusion of elemental diet produced the greater responses of pancreas in terms protein an volume secretions in rats with pancreatic insufficiency than the infusion of isotonic saline did in these animals. However, the increase in pancreatic secretion was not statistically significant in rats receiving 100% pancreatic juice return. These enhanced responses were abolished by the administration of pancreatin. These results indicate the possibility that the administration of pancreatic enzyme might be useful to relieve the pain produced by food intake and to keep pancereas at rest in patients with chronic pancreatitis.