[Protective effect of glutamine on intestinal barrier function in patients receiving chemotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To study the protective effect of glutamine (Gln) on intestinal permeability in patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with gastrointestinal cancer after operation were randomly divided into Gln and control groups, and received oral administration of glutamine (30 g/d) for 7 days (n=22) or not (n=17). All patients received CF+ 5-FU chemotherapy for 5 days. Serum concentration of glutamine and urinary lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio were measured before and 1 day after chemotherapy. RESULTS: After chemotherapy, the serum Gln concentration was significantly decreased to (535.42+/- 53.75) micromol/L in the control group and increased to (54.44+/- 81.26) micromol/L in the Gln group, and there was significant difference between the two groups (P< 0.01). Urine L/M ratio was significantly increased to (0.0453+/- 0.0078) in the control group and decreased to (0.0331+/- 0.0061) in the Gln group, and there was significant difference between the two groups after chemotherapy (P< 0.01). CONCLUSION: Oral administration of glutamine granules can increase serum concentration of glutamine in chemotherapy patients with gastrointestinal cancer and can decrease intestinal permeability, maintain intestinal barrier.