title: Antioxidant effects of N-acetylcysteine in a neonatal rat model of necrotizing enterocolitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hypoxia and ischemia appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which may be related to oxygen-derived free radical formation. This study was designed to evaluate the role of oxidative stress and potentially beneficial effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in a neonatal rat model of NEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty Wistar albino rat pups were randomly divided into 3 groups: group 1, control; group 2, NEC and saline; and group 3, NEC and NAC treatment. Necrotizing enterocolitis was induced by hyperosmolar enteral formula feeding and exposure to hypoxia after cold stress at 4°C and oxygen. The pups were killed on the fourth day, and their intestinal tissues were harvested for biochemical and histopathologic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mucosal injury scores and intestinal malondialdehyde levels in group 2 were found to be significantly higher than that in other groups (P ≤ .05). Intestinal superoxide dismutase activities in group 3 were significantly higher than that in group 2 (P = .018). Intestinal tissue tumor necrosis factor α levels were significantly reduced with NAC treatment in group 3 compared with group 2 (P < .003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is likely that oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators contribute to the pathogenesis of NEC and that NAC has a protective effect on intestinal injury through its antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity Teaching Hospital, 06110 Hamamönü, Ankara, Turkey. ramazanoz@yahoo.com.tr
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Sadık
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yurttutan
authors.forename: Fatma Nur
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Sarı
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Hatice Germen
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Unverdi
authors.forename: Fuat Emre
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Canpolat
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erdeve
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dilmen
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000111:Acetylcysteine