PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITION FOR TREATING PANCREATIC ATROPHY

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject composition useful for treating catabolic alimentary canal-related diseases including intestinal mucosa and pancreatic atrophy, intestinal hyperpermeability, host protective disorders and immunocompetence depression by including glutamine (GLN) or a functional analog of the GLN. SOLUTION: This pharmaceutical composition is obtained by including a therapeutically effective amount which is larger than that contained in a diet at normal times of GLN or a functional analog of the GLN. The resultant composition is administered to an animal. Methods for enterally administering (administering nutrients to a part of an alimentary canal between the stomach and the anus) and nonparenterally administering (administering the nutrients to a region other than the alimentary canal) are cited as the method for administering the composition. The daily dose expressed in terms of the GLN is preferably >=0.3 g/kg body weight) in the case of the enteral method and preferably >=0.1 g/kg body weight in the case of the parenteral method (e.g. intravenous administration). In the case of oral administration, the GLN is preferably converted into a dry form such as an aseptic freeze-dried powder, aseptically dissolved in water and preferably mixed with other diet compositions at the time of administration.