title: Long-term enteral arginine supplementation in rats with intestinal ischemia and reperfusion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of short-term enteral arginine supplementation on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury have been widely studied, especially the ischemic preconditioning supplementation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term intra-duodenal supplementation of arginine on intestinal morphology, arginine-associated amino acid metabolism, and inflammatory responses in rats with intestinal IR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats with or without three hours of ileal ischemia underwent duodenal cannulation for continuous infusion of formula with 2% arginine or commercial protein powder for 7 d. The serological examinations, plasma amino acid and cytokine profiles, and intestinal morphology were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intestinal IR injury had significant impacts on the decreases in circulating red blood cells, hemoglobin, ileum mass, and villus height and crypt depth of the distal jejunum. In addition, arginine supplementation decreased serum cholesterol and increased plasma arginine concentrations. In rats with intestinal IR injury, arginine supplementation significantly decreased serum nitric oxide, plasma citrulline and ornithine, and the mucosal protein content of the ileum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that long-term intra-duodenal arginine administration may not have observable benefits on intestinal morphology or inflammatory response in rats with intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury. Therefore, the necessity of long-term arginine supplementation for patients with intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury remains questionable and requires further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Hsing
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chien-Chou
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.forename: Ching-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Yu-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hui-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lo
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D007077:Ileal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007082:Ileum; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001120:Arginine