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

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.