title: Effect of ozone on intestinal epithelial homeostasis in a rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The positive effects of ozone therapy have been described in many gastrointestinal disorders. The mechanisms of this positive effect of ozone therapy are poorly understood. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the use of ozone may potentiate the gut intestinal mucosal homeostasis in a rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult rats weighing 250-280 g were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups of 8 rats each: 1) Control rats were given 2 mL of water by gavage and intraperitoneally (IP) for 5 days; 2) O3-PO rats were treated with 2 mL of ozone/oxygen mixture by gavage and 2 mL of water IP for 5 days; 3) O3-IP rats were treated with 2 mL of water by gavage and 2 mL of ozone/oxygen mixture IP for 5 days. Rats were sacrificed on day 6. Bowel and mucosal weight, mucosal DNA and protein, villus height and crypt depth, and cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated following sacrifice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group of O3-IP rats demonstrated a greater jejunal and ileal villus height and crypt depth, a greater enterocyte proliferation index in jejunum, and lower enterocyte apoptosis in ileum compared to control animals. Oral administration of the ozone/oxygen mixture resulted in a less significant effect on cell turnover.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with an ozone/oxygen mixture stimulates intestinal cell turnover in a rat model. Intraperitoneal administration of ozone resulted in a more significant intestinal trophic effect than oral administration.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Intestinal Adaptation and Recovery, The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; ; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel;
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sukhotnik
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Intestinal Adaptation and Recovery, The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel;
authors.forename: Alona
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Starikov
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Surgery, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Arnold G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Coran
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Intestinal Adaptation and Recovery, The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel;
authors.forename: Yulia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Intestinal Adaptation and Recovery, The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel;
authors.forename: Rima
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sohotnik
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Meyer Children's Hospital of Haifa, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shaoul
keywords: Apoptosis; enterocyte; intestine; ozone; proliferation