Objective: 

Ischemic preconditioning due to exposure of a tissue to ischemia for a brief period followed by reperfusion provides a defensive ability of the tissue to survive the sustained ischemia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate impact of ischemic preconditioning on intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury in an experimental mesenteric ischemia model.

Methods: 

The study protocol approved by the Ethics Committee of the Selçuk University Experimental Medicine Research and Application Center. Thirty-two Wistar male rats were divided into four groups, eight rats in each: Group I: sham operated, group II: ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury, group III: ischemic preconditioning, group IV: IR injury after ischemic preconditioning. Mesenteric artery was clamped for 45 minutes and reperfusion was provided for 120 minutes following ischemia in group III and group IV. Rats in group III and IV were exposed to ischemic preconditioning by mesenteric artery clamp for 10 minutes, and a following reperfusion phase for 10 minutes. Serum ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and intestinal tissue hydroxyproline levels were determined with spectrophotometric methods.

Results: 

Although serum IMA levels were significantly increased in IR injury, ischemic preconditioning attenuated IR induced overproduction of IMA probably due to suppressive effect on reactive oxygen species. However, tissue hydroxyproline levels were not affected from IR injury, as well as preconditioning.

Conclusions: 

Ischemia/reperfusion injury causes a disturbance on serum IMA levels probably due to overproduction of reactive oxygen species. We concluded that ischemic preconditioning has beneficial effects on ischemia/reperfusion injury.