Protective Effects of Leflunomide on Intestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: Leflunomide against intestinal ischemia-reperfusion

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences 2010-02, Vol.55 (2), p.245-252
• Main Authors: Yildiz, Yuksel, Kose, Hayrullah, Cecen, Serpil, Ergin, Kemal, Demir, Ece Mine, Serter, Mukadder
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Catalase - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hepatology; Intestinal Diseases - pathology; Intestinal Diseases - prevention & control; Intestinal Mucosa - blood supply; Intestinal Mucosa - drug effects; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Isoxazoles - administration & dosage; Isoxazoles - therapeutic use; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Oncology; Original Article; Other diseases. Semiology; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Peroxidase - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reperfusion Injury - metabolism; Reperfusion Injury - pathology; Reperfusion Injury - prevention & control; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Transplant Surgery; Treatment Outcome; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0163-2116; 1573-2568
• DOI: 10.1007/s10620-009-0737-0

Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effects of leflunomide, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, against intestinal IR injury in rats. Materials and Methods Forty female Wistar albino rats were divided into six groups: control ( n  = 5), drug control ( n  = 7), sham operated ( n  = 7), IR alone ( n  = 7), IR plus vehicle (IR + vehicle, n  = 7) and IR plus 20 mg/kg leflunomide (IR + Leflunomide, n  = 7). While rats were pretreated intragastrically with leflunomide (20 mg/kg) and vehicle in three doses prior to the experiment, respectively, in the IR + Leflunomide and IR + vehicle groups, no additional application was done in the IR alone group. Intestines were exteriorized, and the superior mesenteric artery was occluded for 45 min ischemia, and then the clamp was removed for 120 min reperfusion. After the experiment, the intestines were removed for biochemical and histological examinations. Additionally, blood samples were taken for measurements of antioxidant parameters. Results The intestinal IR significantly increased the MDA level and MPO activity; however, treatment with leflunomide reversed those findings ( P