Effects of nimodipine administration on small bowel mucosa under conditions of laparotomy and consequent 48-hour starvation in a rat model.
OBJECTIVE
The combination of starvation and surgical trauma induces disturbances to the intestinal mucosal structure and function, as well as changes in mucosal barrier function in the rat small bowel. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of nimodipine administration, on intestinal mucosal structural changes and enterocyte apoptosis, following laparotomy and subsequent postsurgical starvation (PSS) in the rat.


METHODS
Thirty Wistar rats were divided into two experimental groups: A: Control group (n=15), where the animal models underwent laparotomy and consequent 48-hours PSS and B: Nimodipine group (n=15), where the rats underwent laparotomy, followed by intraperitoneal nimodipine administration and consequent 48-hour (h) PSS. Small bowel mucosal structural changes and enterocyte epithelial apoptosis were determined 48 h following laparotomy.


RESULTS
Nimodipine rats (group B) demonstrated a significant decrease in small bowel villous height in jejunum (p=0.016) and ileum (p=0.002). Similarly, crypt depth decreased in jejunum (p<0.001) and ileum (p<0.001). Nimodipine group exhibited significantly higher apoptotic index in ileum compared to control rats (p=0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Nimodipine did not protect the intestinal mucosa from damage caused by surgery and consequent PSS and had obvious damaging effects on intestinal mucosa with derangements to its structure and subsequent mucosal atrophy.
Kantsos
Harilaos
H
Laboratory for Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. hkantsos@yahoo.gr
Papadopoulos
Stefanos
S
Perrea
Despina
D
Xanthos
Theodoros
T
Vlachos
Ioannis
I
Pantopoulou
Alkistis
A
Agrogiannis
George
G
Condilis
Nicolas
N
Lazaris
Andreas
A
Patsouris
Efstathios
E
Bramis
John
J
D032761:Animal Experimentation; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D007082:Ileum / Q000601:surgery; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000601:surgery; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control; D013217:Starvation; D013997:Time Factors
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D009553:Nimodipine