title: Protection from glycine at low doses in ischemia-reperfusion injury of the rat small intestine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Glycine at high doses is known to protect the small intestine against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Here, we studied whether glycine at low clinically applicable doses has a protective effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  In series 1, intestinal I/R was induced in male Wistar rats by occlusion (90 min)/reopening (120 min) of the superior mesenteric artery. Glycine was intravenously infused for 30 min before ischemia (pre-ischemic infusion), and once again from 30 min before until 60 min after reperfusion. Total glycine doses applied over the 120-min infusion were 5, 10, 20, and 75 mg glycine/kg. In series 2, pre-ischemic blood plasma glycine concentrations were determined under the conditions of series 1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In series 1, attenuation of I/R injury was comparable at 10, 20, and 75 mg glycine/kg, but less at 5 mg/kg (as indicated by less intestinal hemorrhages and better preserved mean arterial blood pressure, among other signs). In series 2, pre-ischemic blood plasma glycine concentrations increased with increasing glycine doses from 280 to 330, 340, 380, and 680 μM, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that even at a dose 50 times lower than previously applied - and at only slightly elevated plasma concentrations - glycine provides full protection against I/R injury of the small intestine.
authors: Institute für Physiologische Chemie, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Essen, Deutschland.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Petrat
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Drowatzky
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Boengler
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Finckh
authors: K J
authors: KJ
authors: Schmitz
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Schulz
authors: H
authors: H
authors: de Groot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005998:Glycine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D005998:Glycine