title: N-acetylcycsteine attenuates the deleterious effects of radiation therapy on inci-sional wound healing in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During preoperative radiotherapy, effective doses of ionizing radiation occasionally cause wound complications after subsequent surgery. This study was designed to determine the effects of intraperitoneally or orally administered N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on anastomotic healing of irradiated rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty Wistar albino rats were randomized into four groups containing 10 rats each. A 3 cm long surgical full-thickness midline laparotomy was performed to all groups (Groups 1-4). Group 1 was designed as a control group without radiation therapy and NAC treatment. Groups 2, 3 and 4 received a single abdominal dose of 10 Gy irradiation before laparotomy and groups 3 and 4 received oral and intraperitoneal NAC, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group comparisons demonstrated that breaking strength was significantly higher in NAC treated rats. A statistically significant difference was determined in terms of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondealdehyde (MDA) and glutation (GSH) values between groups (p<0.001). Nevertheless, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) levels were found to be similar between groups (p=0.163). Serum GSH and SOD levels were significantly higher in groups 3 and 4 when compared to group 2 (p < 0.05). Similarly, there was a significant increase in serum MDA concentration, predicting lipid peroxidation, in group 2 when compared to groups 1, 3 and 4 (p < 0.05). There was not a significant difference between Groups 3 and 4 regarding GSH, MDA, SOD, and AOPP levels. Histopathological analysis revealed that NAC administration, either orally or intraperitoneally, leads to a better incisional healing in terms of inflammation, granulation, collagen deposition, reepithelization and neovascularization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study supports the hypothesis that NAC administration alleviates the negative effects of radiotherapy on incisional wound healing by means of reducing oxidative stress markers and improving histologic parameters independent of the route of administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery Bulent Ecevit University, School of Medicine, Zonguldak,Turkey.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tascilar
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery Bulent Ecevit University, School of Medicine, Zonguldak,Turkey.
authors.forename: Gk
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cakmak
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery Bulent Ecevit University, School of Medicine, Zonguldak,Turkey.
authors.forename: Au
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Emre
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology Bulent Ecevit University, School of Medicine, Zonguldak,Turkey.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bakkal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology Bulent Ecevit University, School of Medicine, Zonguldak,Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kandemir
authors.affiliation: Mugla University, School of Health Sciences, Mugla, Turkey.
authors.forename: Uo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Turkcu
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Programmes, Bulent Ecevit University, Ahmet Erdogan Vocational School of Health Services, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Eo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demir
keywords: N-acetylcysteine; incisional healing; ionizing irradiation; lipid peroxidation; radiotherapy