Benefits of intraluminal injection of glutamine for intestinal mucosa during ischemia-reperfusion.

BACKGROUND

We investigated the effect of intraluminal glutamine on the intestinal mucosa in the presence of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI).

METHODS

Six blind sacs were created in the small bowel (3 at the jejunum and 3 at the ileum) in 10 Wistar rats. The lateral sacs of both bowel regions were submitted to IRI (30/30 min), while the medial sacs were left free to receive blood supply. In the lateral sacs, a solution containing either saline plus 4% glutamine or pure saline was injected at the bowel lumen. No fluid was injected in the medial sacs.

RESULTS

Both at the jejunum and at the ileum, the score of the mucosal injury was higher in saline-injected sacs than in either glutamine-injected or control sacs. There was a significantly greater number of neutrophils in the sacs treated with saline than in the other two groups of sacs.

CONCLUSION

Glutamine protects the mucosa and diminishes the accumulation of neutrophils at the lamina propria of the small bowel in IRI.