Comparison of parenteral nutrition and enteral feeding with pectin in experimental colitis in the rat

The effect of a pectin-supplemented enteral diet on experimental colitis was compared with parenteral nutrition and with a pectin-free enteral diet. Forty-five rats had feeding catheters placed into either the stomach (IG, n = 31) or the superior vena cava (IV, n = 14) and then received acetic acid (colitis) or saline (control) enemas. After the enema, all rats received the same diet, either IG or IV, for 6 d except for 15 rats (IGP, 9 colitis and 6 controls), which had 1% pectin added to the diet. At the end of the feeding period the IGP group had significantly less colonic inflammation and/or necrosis than either IV (p less than 0.03) or IG (p less than 0.04) groups. Nitrogen balance, serum albumin, total iron-binding capacity and body weight did not differ significantly among dietary regimens. Thus, the degree of bowel injury in experimental colitis was decreased when animals were fed a pectin-supplemented enteral diet and this effect was independent of nutritional status.