Gastroprotective Effect of Enteral Nutrition Formula in Mice Injected Subcutaneously with Indomethacin

We have previously shown that two enteral nutrition formulas suppressed gastric lesions induced by the oral administration of indomethacin (IND) in mice. However, the mechanism of their protective effect is unknown. In this study, the effect of the two enteral nutrition formulas on gastric lesions induced by subcutaneous IND injection was investigated, with the objective of exploring the possibility that they may interact directly with IND in the gastrointestinal tract. Ten-week-old, male, ICR mice were fasted, then orally given either purified water, Mermed(®) One, or 2-fold diluted Terumeal(®) 2.0α as enteral nutrition formula (25 mL/kg). IND was injected subcutaneously at 20 mg/kg after 30 min, and the stomach was removed 6 h later and fixed in formalin. The number and area of lesions in the stomachs of mice given enteral nutrition formula was reduced to 56–89% and 34–61%, respectively, compared with the mice given purified water. The time courses of plasma IND concentrations were comparable among the three groups. These results suggested that the effect of these enteral nutrition formulas on gastric lesions did not originate from their direct interaction with IND in the gastrointestinal tract or their effect on the disposition of IND.