Carnitine administration reduces cytokine levels, improves food intake, and ameliorates body composition in tumor-bearing rats.

Abstract

Increased cytokine expression contributes to the pathogenesis of cancer anorexia?cachexia syndrome. Carnitine may reduce inflammation in chronic diseases. We tested the effects of L-propionylcarnitine (PC group) or saline (C group) on food intake (FI), body composition, and inflammatory status of MCA-sarcoma-bearing rats. On tumor appearance, rats were randomly assigned to daily i.p. injection of L-propionylcarnitine (250 mg/kgBW/d; n = 8) or saline (equal volume; n = 8). FI and fat-free mass wasting improved in PC rats only (p < .01 vs. controls). Cytokines? levels decreased in PC rats vs. controls (p < .02). Results suggest that carnitine may ameliorate cancer anorexia?cachexia, via reduction of the inflammatory status.

• Authors: Alessandro Laviano, Alessio Molfino, Marilia Seelaender, Teresa Frascaria, Giuseppe Bertini, Cesarina Ramaccini, Maria Rosa Bollea, Gennaro Citro, Filippo Rossi Fanelli
• Journal: Cancer investigation (Cancer Invest) Vol. 29 Issue 10 Pg. 696-700 (Dec 2011) ISSN: 1532-4192 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22085273 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Cytokines
• propionylcarnitine
• Carnitine

Topics

• Animals
• Anorexia (drug therapy)
• Body Composition (drug effects)
• Cachexia (drug therapy)
• Carnitine (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)
• Cytokines (blood)
• Eating (drug effects)
• Male
• Neoplasms, Experimental (metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Inbred F344