INFLUENCE OF MISOPROSTOL, A SYNTHETIC PROSTAGLANDIN E(1) ANALOG, ON THE HEALING OF COLONIC ANASTOMOSES IN RATS

PURPOSE: This study was designed to examine the influence of misoprost ol, a synthetic prostaglandin E, analog, on the healing of colonic ana stomoses in rats, with particular regard to changes in collagen levels at the site of the anastomoses and their histopathologic aspects. MET HODS: Sixty rats were submitted to resection and anastomosis of the co lon, and divided at random into two groups. The test group received mi soprostol intragastrically (200 mu g/kg body weight), twice daily, fro m the day of operation until sacrifice. Controls received 0.9 percent NaCl. The animals were sacrificed on the third, seventh, or fourteenth postoperative day, and the results of the histopathologic analyses an d hydroxyproline concentrations were compared. RESULTS: Our results sh ow that misoprostol administration increased the hydroxyproline concen tration on the fourteenth postoperative day without interfering in the inflammatory response (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Misoprostol interferes with the balance between the synthesis and degradation of collagen, re sulting in an elevation of collagen levels by the fourteenth postopera tive day without influencing the inflammatory response.