Effects of multiglutine during cancer chemotherapy on gastrointestinal toxicity and liver dysfunction

Gum-A Jo; Pil-Song Ri; Guk-Song Kim

doi:10.37591/rrjom.v13i3.3198

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer chemotherapy causes severe side effects in almost patients by inhibiting various systems including the hematopoietic, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Recently, glutamine has been considered to improve the side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Calcium and magnesium also have positive effects in cancer patients. In this study, we evaluated effects of multiglutine, which consists of glutamic acid and metal ions such as calcium, magnesium, on gastrointestinal toxicity and liver dysfunction during cancer chemotherapy.Patients and methods: Sixty-three patients who had been diagnosed as malignant lymphoma were divided into the multiglutine group (32 patients) and the control group (31 patients). The patients in multiglutine group received 15 g/d of multiglutine from 1 day prior to the start of chemotherapy until 6 day after chemotherapy.Results : The group treated with multiglutine had vomiting grade 1-2 12.5%, nausea 18.8%, stomatitis grade 1-2 3.1%, diarrhea grade 1-2 6.3%, and liver dysfunction grade 1-2 3.1%, whereas the control group had vomiting grade 1-2 22.6%, grade 3-4 16.1%, nausea 45.2%, stomatitis grade 1-2 19.4%, diarrhea grade 1-2 25.8%, and liver dysfunction grade 1-2 9.7%, grade 3-4 6.5%.Conclusions: Multiglutine can significantly reduce gastrointestinal toxicity and liver dysfunction during cancer chemotherapy.