Benefits of intralurninal 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. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.