title: Melatonin ameliorates necrotizing enterocolitis in a neonatal rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We designed the present study to evaluate the efficacy of melatonin (M) on the severity of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in a neonatal rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immediately after birth, pups were weighed and randomized into 3 groups: NEC, NEC + M, and control. Necrotizing enterocolitis was induced by enteral formula feeding and exposure to hypoxia after cold stress at 4°C and oxygen. The NEC + M group received 10 mg/kg M daily for 3 days after the first day of the NEC procedure. The pups were killed on the fourth day, and their intestinal tissues were harvested for biochemical and histopathologic analysis. Blood samples were also obtained from the pups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mortality rate and weight loss were highest in the NEC group. Malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl content were significantly increased, whereas superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were decreased in the NEC-treated pups. Melatonin prevented these changes, with these values being similar to control levels in the NEC + M group. Nitrate plus nitrite levels and serum tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-1β were increased in the NEC group, and histopathologic injury score in the NEC group was significantly higher than that in the NEC + M group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melatonin significantly reduced the severity of NEC in our study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Faculty, Etlik, 06018 Ankara, Turkey. drahmetguven@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guven
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gundogdu
authors.forename: Emin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oztas
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology; D007082:Ileum / Q000473:pathology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D008550:Melatonin