Studies were conducted on cytokine production in the small intestine and spleen and on damage to the small intestine of a group of ConA-induced hepatitis model mice that ingested a nutritional composition beneficial to the small intestine. As a result, in the group of mice that ingested the nutritional composition beneficial to the small intestine, inhibition of a rise in MCP-1 and IL-6 production in the small intestine and spleen was confirmed in addition to inhibition of a rise in liver and plasma cytokine production, and a reduction in small intestine tissue damage was displayed. The nutritional composition beneficial to the small intestine was evaluated by measuring the small intestine and large intestine weights of normal mice after two weeks of ingestion. As a result, there was an increase in the small intestine and large intestine weights, and the average length of the intestinal villi and thickness of the muscularis propria were significantly higher than in the control group.
