Treatment of intestinal reperfusion injury using antioxidative agents.
OBJECTIVE
A number of antioxidants are present in human tissues, which comprise the secondary defence system against the oxygen-free radicals and oxidative stress. Therefore, this study was undertaken in an animal model to investigate the effects of antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C, methyl prednisolone, and mannitol, on the treatment of intestinal reperfusion injury when given during ischemia.


METHODS
The study was performed on six groups of animals, each composed of six rabbits: Group I, mesenteric ischemia group; group R, ischemia-reperfusion group; group E, ischemia-reperfusion plus Vitamin E treatment; group C, ischemia-reperfusion plus vitamin C treatment; group CS, ischemia-reperfusion plus corticosteroid treatment; and Group M, ischemia-reperfusion plus mannitol treatment. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels of the intestinal mucosa were assayed to reflect the free radical formation.


RESULTS
Mucosal injury scores in the M and C groups were significantly lower than the R group (P< .01 and P< .01, respectively), and in the E and CS groups, mucosal injury scores were not significantly different from R group. MDA levels in the M and C groups were significantly lower than the R group (P < .01 and P < .01, respectively). GSH levels in the E, C, and M groups, were significantly higher than R group (P < .01, P < .05, and P < .01, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study showed that antioxidant drugs, such as vitamin C and mannitol, may play a role in attenuating reperfusion injury of the gut demonstrated by depression of tissue MDA levels and by elevation of tissue GSH levels.
Günel
E
E
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Medical School of Selçuk University, Konya, Turkey.
Cağlayan
F
F
Cağlayan
O
O
Dilsiz
A
A
Duman
S
S
Aktan
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D008353:Mannitol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000975:Antioxidants; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014810:Vitamin E; D008353:Mannitol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005978:Glutathione; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D008775:Methylprednisolone