title: Carnitine protects the intestine against reperfusion injury in rats.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Surgery, Dokuz Eylul University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors: Ferda Ulviye
authors: FU
authors: Hosgorler
authors: Koray
authors: K
authors: Atila
authors: Cem
authors: C
authors: Terzi
authors: Serpil Tanriverdi
authors: ST
authors: Akhisaroglu
authors: Gulgun
authors: G
authors: Oktay
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Kupelioglu
authors: Gul
authors: G
authors: Ergor
authors: Serdar
authors: S
authors: Saydam
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D003094:Collagen; D002331:Carnitine