Effects of rhubarb on intestinal flora and toll-like receptors of intestinal mucosa in rats with severe acute pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of rhubarb on intestinal flora and toll-like receptors (TLRs) of intestinal mucosa in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).


METHODS
Healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into sham-operated surgical model of SAP without or with postoperative rhubarb treatment groups (7 in each group). Rats in with rhubarb group received 10% rhubarb decoction (1 mL/200 g) through tube feeding at every 8 hours during postoperative 24 hours. Serum amylase, amount of intestinal flora, and TLR2/TLR4 messenger RNA expression in intestinal mucosa were tested among 3 groups at postoperative 24 hours.


RESULTS
TLR2 and TLR4 messenger RNA expression levels in intestinal mucosa in SAP without rhubarb group were significantly higher than those in sham-operated or SAP with rhubarb groups (P < 0.05). The amount of intestinal lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in SAP without rhubarb group were significantly fewer than in those sham-operated group (P < 0.05) but not significantly different from those in SAP with rhubarb group (P > 0.05). The amount of intestinal Escherichia coli was relatively higher in SAP group than in sham-operated group (P > 0.05) but lesser in rhubarb treatment group (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Rhubarb might maintain the intestinal mucosal barrier through regulating intestinal flora and inhibiting intestinal inflammatory response in rats with SAP.
From the Departments of *Gastroenterology and †Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; and ‡Intensive Care Unit and §Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Ping
P
Yao
Min
M
Cui
Yan
Y
Li
Yiyun
Y
Deng
Hao
H
Wu
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002432:Cecum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012250:Rheum / Q000737:chemistry; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495343:Tlr2 protein, rat; C495347:Tlr4 protein, rat; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4