title: Enteral glutamine and/or arginine supplementation have favorable effects on oxidative stress parameters in neonatal rat intestine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate and compare the effects of enteral glutamine and arginine supply on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme levels in the small intestine of healthy breast-fed rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 40 newborn Sprague-Dawley rats born to 5 mother rats. Newborn rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. Starting from day 1 until day 21, group I received only breast milk; group II received breast milk and 200 mg/kg/day oral glutamine; group III received breast milk and 200 mg/kg/day oral arginine; and group IV received breast milk, 200 mg/kg/day glutamine, and 200 mg/kg/day arginine. Malondialdehyde levels and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase activities were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lowest malondialdehyde levels were found in group II (P = 0.0001). Superoxide dismutase activity was found to be significantly higher in group II than group I (P < 0.001). Of the 4 groups, GPx activity was highest in group IV. GPx activity in group II was significantly higher than in group I (P = 0.001) or group III (P = 0.001). GPx activity was higher in group IV than in group I (P = 0.001) or group III (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Enteral glutamine alone or in the presence of arginine has favorable effects on oxidative stress not only in experimental models of hypoxia-reoxygenation, but also in healthy newborn rats. This suggests that in premature neonates with insufficient oxidative resistance, glutamine and arginine supplementation may help prevent necrotizing enterocolitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, GATA Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, Uskudar, Istanbul, Turkey. drmustafakul@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kul
authors.forename: Sabahattin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vurucu
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demirkaya
authors.forename: Turan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tunc
authors.forename: Seçil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aydinoz
authors.forename: Cihan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meral
authors.forename: Vural
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kesik
authors.forename: Faruk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alpay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D005973:Glutamine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005973:Glutamine; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001120:Arginine; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase