TREATMENT OF INTESTINAL REPERFUSION INJURY USING ANTIOXIDATIVE AGENTS

Background/Purpose: A number of antioxidants are present in human tiss ues, which comprise the secondary defence system against the oxygen-fr ee radicals and oxidative stress. Therefore, this study was undertaken in an animal model to investigate the effects of antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C, methyl prednisolone, and mannitol, on the treat ment of intestinal reperfusion injury when given during ischemia. Meth ods: The study was performed on six groups of animals, each composed o f six rabbits: Group I, mesenteric ischemia group; group R, ischemia-r eperfusion group; group E, ischemia-reperfusion plus Vitamin E treatme nt; group C, ischemia-reperfusion plus vitamin C treatment; group CS, ischemia-reperfusion plus corticosteroid treatment; and Group M, ische mia-reperfusion plus mannitol treatment. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and glu tathione (GSH) levels of the intestinal mucosa were assayed to reflect the free radical formation. Results: Mucosal injury scores in the M a nd C groups were significantly lower than the R group (P < .01 and P < .01, respectively), and in the E and CS groups, mucosal injury scores were not significantly different from R group. MDA levels in the M an d C groups were significantly lower than the R group (P < .01 and P < .01, respectively). GSH levels in the E, C, and M groups, were signifi cantly higher than R group (P < .01, P < .05, and P < .01, respectivel y). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that antioxidant drug s, such as vitamin C and mannitol, may play a role in attenuating repe rfusion injury of the gut demonstrated by depression of tissue MDA lev els and by elevation of tissue GSH levels. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.