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Recombinant human lactoferrin ingestion attenuates indomethacin-induced enteropathy in vivo in healthy volunteers

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 57, pages 1579–1585 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether recombinant human lactoferrin ingestion inhibits nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID)-induced gastroenteropathy in vivo in healthy volunteers as a model for disorders associated with a rise in permeability of the stomach and the small intestine.

Design: A randomized crossover dietary intervention.

Subjects and interventions: In all, 15 healthy volunteers (age 23±1.4 y) were tested. A sucrose and a lactulose/rhamnose (L/R) permeability test was performed to assess gastroduodenal and small intestine permeability as indicator of NSAID-induced gastroenteropathy. All subjects consumed standardized meals for 2 days. On the second day at time=−24 h each subject ingested a drink containing 5 g recombinant human lactoferrin or placebo during breakfast. At t=−9 h, subjects ingested the same drink with 75 mg of the NSAID indomethacin and after an overnight fast at t=−1 h subjects consumed the drink and 50 mg indomethacin. After 1 h, at t=0, a permeability test was performed.

Results: Small intestine permeability after indomethacin and placebo was significantly higher (L/R ratio=0.036; 0.014–0.092, P<0.05) compared to the permeability observed after ingestion of indomethacin and lactoferrin (0.028; 0.015–0.056), whereas gastroduodenal permeability did not differ between the two interventions (P=0.3).

Conclusions: Oral recombinant human lactoferrin supplementation during a short-term indomethacin challenge reduced the NSAID-mediated increase in small intestinal permeability and hence may provide a nutritional tool in the treatment of hyperpermeability-associated disorders.

Sponsorship: Grant and human recombinant lactoferrin donated from Agennix Inc., Houston, TX.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. Fred Browns and Dr. Dominique Goovaer's (Cerestar, Belgium) for carrying out the sucrose analyses.

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Author notes

  1. F J Troost: Guarantor: FJ Troost

  2. F J Troost, W H M Saris and R-J M Brummer: Contributors: FJT, WHMS and R-JMB initiated the study and discussed the study design and study outcomes. FJT prepared the experimental protocol, carried out the practical work and prepared the drafts of the paper, WHMS and R-JMB secured the funding, supervised the funding and discussed and revised the drafts of the paper.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Biology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, Universiteitssingel 50, ER Maastricht, 6229, The Netherlands

    F J Troost & W H M Saris

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, University Hospital Maastricht, PO Box 5800, AZ Maastricht, NL-6202, The Netherlands

    R-J M Brummer

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Correspondence to F J Troost.

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Troost, F., Saris, W. & Brummer, RJ. Recombinant human lactoferrin ingestion attenuates indomethacin-induced enteropathy in vivo in healthy volunteers. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 1579–1585 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601727

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