title: Protective effects of colchicine in an experimental model of necrotizing enterocolitis in neonatal rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathophysiology of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) includes the massive production of endogenous cytokines with exaggerated activation of inflammatory pathways. Colchicine has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible beneficial effects of colchicine in a neonatal rat model of NEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly divided rat pups into three groups: a control group, a saline-treated NEC group, and a colchicine-treated NEC group. We induced NEC by hyperosmolar enteral formula feeding and exposure to hypoxia/reoxygenation after cold stress. Intestinal samples were harvested for biochemical and histopathologic analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The grade of intestinal injury of pups in the saline-treated NEC group was significantly higher than in the control and colchicine-treated groups (P < 0.001 and 0.003, respectively). The median level of intestinal malondialdehyde was significantly higher in the saline-treated NEC group compared with the control group (P = 0.006) or the colchicine-treated NEC group (P = 0.015). We observed significantly higher activity levels of intestinal superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the colchicine-treated NEC group compared with the saline-treated NEC group (P = 0.033 and 0.030, respectively). The tissue levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β were significantly higher in the saline-treated NEC group compared with the colchicine-treated NEC group (P < 0.001 and 0.003, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed that in this model of NEC, colchicine had favorable effects on intestinal histologic and biochemical changes.
authors: Division of Neonatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity Teaching Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. sdkyurttutan@gmail.com
authors: Sadik
authors: S
authors: Yurttutan
authors: Ramazan
authors: R
authors: Ozdemir
authors: Fuat Emre
authors: FE
authors: Canpolat
authors: Mehmet Yekta
authors: MY
authors: Oncel
authors: Bulent
authors: B
authors: Uysal
authors: Hatice Germen
authors: HG
authors: Unverdi
authors: Omer
authors: O
authors: Erdeve
authors: Ugur
authors: U
authors: Dilmen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006074:Gout Suppressants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007082:Ileum / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D006074:Gout Suppressants; D003078:Colchicine