American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 10, 325-331, Copyright © 1962 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Effect of Adrenal Steroids and of Gluten upon Malabsorption Induced by Neomycin

¹ From the Department of Medicine, State University of New York, Upstate Medical Center, University Hospital, and the Veterans Administration Hospital, Syracuse, New York

The effect of adrenal steroids and of the gluten-free diet upon the malabsorption syndrome induced by the administration of neomycin has been studied. The parameters employed in this study included serial plasma carotene concentrations, urinary excretion of d-xylose, jejunal mucosal biopsy and fecal fat analysis. The effect of the addition of gluten to a normal diet was compared with the effect of neomycin in equal dosage.

The malabsorption induced by the administration of large doses of neomycin was not reversed by the administration of adrenal steroids or the administration of a gluten-free diet as judged by d-xylose excretion, jejunal biopsy or fecal fat excretion. Plasma carotene concentration, however, showed no further decline with neomycin when either cortisone or a gluten-free diet was superimposed. Administration of cortisone or hydrocortisone alone did not consistently alter plasma carotene. The addition of gluten to normal diets did not induce steatorrhea in normal subjects.

The results suggest that under the conditions imposed, using brief periods of study, the malabsorption syndrome induced by the administration of neomycin differs from naturally occurring sprue-like states in the response obtained with the use of adrenal steroids or a gluten-free diet.