Survival of rats with Walker 256 Tumor after oral suplementation of arginine in the diet

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to assess the effect of L-arginine at 8% on extended survival of rats with Walker 256 tumor.
METHODS: The study is experimental, randomized, double blind. The animals for this experiment were divided in 3 groups. The first group (placebo) received gavage with water, seven days before the inoculation of Walker 256 tumor. The second group received 8% L-arginine solution of caloric ingestion 48 hours after the tumoral inoculation. The third group received 8% L-arginine solution of total caloric ingestion, initiated seven days before the tumoral inoculation.
RESULTS: The third group, supplemented seven days before the tumoral inoculation, presented greater extended survival (21 days, p=0.0001) when compared to animals from the other two. Animals supplemented 48 hours after the tumoral inoculation presented greater extended survival (20 days, p=0.0001) when compared to the placebo group (19 days, p=0.0001).
CONCLUSION: The results suggest that both groups supplemented with 8% L-arginine presented beneficial results in respect to extended survival when compared to the placebo group, and better yet if the amino acid was administered before the tumoral inoculation.