Carnitine protects the intestine against reperfusion injury in rats.
BACKGROUND
Although the negative effects of ischemia on anastomotic healing have been shown in many studies, there is no adequate information on the effects of reperfusion injury. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effect of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury on intestinal anastomosis and the protective efficiency of carnitine in an experimental relatively short intestinal ischemia and long duration reperfusion model.


METHODS
Animals were divided into three groups (n=14). Each group was separated into two subgroups. In subgroups A, morphologic injury and the number of perfused intestinal muscular microvessels were analyzed to show "no-reflow phenomenon." Intestinal resection and anastomosis were performed in subgroups B. Carnitine group (IRCarG) received 200 mg/kg intravenous carnitine 2 min prior to reperfusion. Malonyldialdehyde, nitric oxide levels in tissue and blood, collagen levels, bursting pressures, and histopathologic evaluation of anastomosis were measured in subgroups B.


RESULTS
Morphologic damage was statistically lower, number of perfused microvessels and epithelial regeneration were statistically higher in IRCarG, compared with ischemia-reperfusion group (P=0.03, P=0.008, P=0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Carnitine application prior to reperfusion may reduce the severity of the reperfusion injury by preventing the occurrence of no-reflow phenomenon, increase the number of perfused microvessels in the ischemic intestine, and may improve epithelial regeneration in intestinal anastomosis.
Hosgorler
Ferda Ulviye
FU
Department of Surgery, Dokuz Eylul University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Atila
Koray
K
Terzi
Cem
C
Akhisaroglu
Serpil Tanriverdi
ST
Oktay
Gulgun
G
Kupelioglu
Ali
A
Ergor
Gul
G
Saydam
Serdar
S
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003094:Collagen / Q000097:blood; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D003094:Collagen; D002331:Carnitine