• Tomoyuki Tsujikawa, Osamu Kanauchi, Akira Andoh, Takao Saotome, Masaya Sasaki, Yoshihide Fujiyama, and Tadao Bamba.
• Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Shiga University of Medical Science, and the Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd., Research Institute of Life Science, Shiga, Japan. tujikawa@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp
• Nutrition. 2003 Feb 1; 19 (2): 137-9.

ObjectiveAlthough the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease remains unclear, dietary fat is thought to exacerbate intestinal inflammation. Chitosan is a water-insoluble dietary fiber, and a chitosan and ascorbic acid mixture has been shown in rats to increase fecal fat excretion without affecting protein digestibility. However, it remains unclear whether a chitosan and ascorbic acid mixture is safe and effective for patients with Crohn's disease. We designed a pilot trial to investigate the tolerability and amount of fat excretion after the oral administration of a chitosan and ascorbic mixture for inactive Crohn's disease.MethodsEleven outpatients were given seven tablets daily of a chitosan and ascorbic mixture (chitosan was given at 1.05 g/d) for 8 wk. Patients did not interrupt their respective therapies for Crohn's disease.ResultsThe bowel movements of most patients increased slightly during the study. Nutritional and inflammatory markers in patients did not differ before and after treatment. The chitosan and ascorbic acid mixture significantly increased the fat concentration in the feces during treatment.ConclusionsThese results indicated that oral administration of a chitosan and ascorbic acid mixture in patients with Crohn's disease is tolerable and increases fecal fat excretion without affecting disease activity.

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