Effects of vitamin A and beta carotene on intra-abdominal sepsis.
Vitamin A may play a role systemically and locally in controlling intra-abdominal sepsis. Adult male rats were divided into three groups. Group 1 ate a standard rat laboratory chow (not vitamin A deficient), group 2 ate the same chow supplemented with vitamin A, and group 3 ate the chow supplemented with beta carotene. All animals underwent cecal ligation, and the cecum was perforated either with a 27-gauge or an 18-gauge needle. Vitamin A dietary supplementation had a significant protective effect, which was manifested by improved survival in the animals whose cecum was perforated with an 18-gauge needle, prevention of postoperative hypothermia, maintenance of peripheral WBC counts at normal or above-normal values, and better localization of the intra-abdominal inflammatory process. Dietary supplementation with beta carotene had a lesser protective effect.
D000005:Abdomen; D000038:Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects; D019207:beta Carotene
D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids