Antioxidant effects of N-acetylcysteine in a neonatal rat model of necrotizing enterocolitis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Hypoxia and ischemia appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which may be related to oxygen-derived free radical formation. This study was designed to evaluate the role of oxidative stress and potentially beneficial effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in a neonatal rat model of NEC.

METHODS

Thirty Wistar albino rat pups were randomly divided into 3 groups: group 1, control; group 2, NEC and saline; and group 3, NEC and NAC treatment. Necrotizing enterocolitis was induced by hyperosmolar enteral formula feeding and exposure to hypoxia after cold stress at 4°C and oxygen. The pups were killed on the fourth day, and their intestinal tissues were harvested for biochemical and histopathologic analysis.

RESULTS

Mucosal injury scores and intestinal malondialdehyde levels in group 2 were found to be significantly higher than that in other groups (P ≤ .05). Intestinal superoxide dismutase activities in group 3 were significantly higher than that in group 2 (P = .018). Intestinal tissue tumor necrosis factor α levels were significantly reduced with NAC treatment in group 3 compared with group 2 (P < .003).

CONCLUSIONS

It is likely that oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators contribute to the pathogenesis of NEC and that NAC has a protective effect on intestinal injury through its antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties.