The effects of glutamine-enriched feeding on incisional healing in rats

Glutamine (Gln), which is the most abundant free amino acid in the circulat ion, and also a primary fuel for rapidly dividing cells, was used to determ ine its effects on incisional healing. The effect of Gin-enriched feeding w as investigated using tensile strength measurement, which reflects the qual ity and speed of regeneration and by the measurement of tissue hydroxyproli ne line level which correlate directly with the collagen content of wounds. Forty albino Wistar rats in four equal groups received a special diet 7 da ys prior to surgery and 7 days after surgery. On the 7th day of study a 5-c m dorsal midline skin incision was made and then closed by interrupted sutu res. Group 1 received a normal diet for all 14 days: group 2 received a Gln -enriched diet 7 days prior to surgery and a normal diet 7 days after surge ry. group 3 received a normal diet prior to surgery and a Gin-enriched diet after surgery: group 4 received a constant Gin-enriched diet. On the 7th p ostoperative day, tensile strength measurements and hydroxyproline level an alyses were done. A preoperative Gin-enriched diet did not show any signifi cant improvement in the tensile strength and hydroxyproline levels on the 7 th postoperative day, but a pre- and postoperative, and a postoperative Gin -enriched diet significantly improved the tensile strength and hydroxyproli ne levels when compared with the normal diet group (P<0.0001). These findin gs show that wound healing is better when Gin was added in the postoperativ e, or both pre- and postoperative periods, but not when only added in the p reoperative period.