title: Emu oil expedites small intestinal repair following 5-fluorouracil-induced mucositis in rats.
abstract: Mucositis resulting from cancer chemotherapy is characterized by intestinal inflammation and ulceration. Previously, emu oil (EO) improved intestinal architecture (Br J Nutr, 2010) in a rat model of chemotherapy-induced mucositis. We investigated EO for its further potential to promote intestinal repair in this mucositis model. Female Dark Agouti rats (n = 8/group) were gavaged with water, olive oil (OO) or EO once daily (1 mL), injected with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or saline on day 5 and euthanized on day 8, 9, 10 or 11. Intestinal villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD), neutral mucin-secreting goblet cell (GC) count, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and selected cytokines were quantified; P < 0.05 was considered significant. In 5-FU-injected rats, only EO administration significantly increased VH in the ileum (day 8), jejunum and jejunum-ileum junction (days 8 and 9) compared to 5-FU controls (P < 0.05). GC count was significantly reduced by 5-FU (jejunum: days 8 and 9; ileum: day 8; P < 0.05) and EO increased ileal GC on days 10 and 11 compared to 5-FU controls. MPO activity was significantly increased in jejunum (days 8 and 9) and ileum (day 8) following 5-FU injection, compared to normal controls (P < 0.05). Both EO and OO significantly reduced jejunal MPO on days 8 and 9; however, only EO decreased ileal MPO on day 8. Cytokine levels were not significantly affected by either oil or 5-FU administration at the day 8 time point. Promotion of repair from injury could represent a new mechanism of action for EO, suggesting potential as an adjunct to conventional treatment approaches for cancer management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide 5006, Australia.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mashtoub
authors.forename: Cuong D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Gordon S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Howarth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D052016:Mucositis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009821:Oils / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D009821:Oils; C575034:emu Oil; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: Chemotherapy; emu oil; intestinal mucositis; rat; repair