Aims: The present study evaluated the effects of resveratrol in the myenteric plexus after intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury caused by occluding the superior mesenteric artery for 45min, followed by 7days of reperfusion.
Main methods: Forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups: control (C group), untreated sham surgery control (SC group), sham surgery control treated with resveratrol before surgery (STA group), sham surgery control treated with resveratrol before and after surgery (STAD group), ischemic control (IRC group), ischemic treated before I/R (IRTA group), and ischemic treated before and after I/R (IRTAD group). Resveratrol (10mg/kg) was administered for 4days and 2h prior to surgery and/or 7days later. Morphometric analyses were performed, and the density of the general neuronal population (HuC/D-immunoreactive [IR]), nitrergic subpopulation (neuronal nitric oxide synthase [nNOS]-IR), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)ergic varicosities (VIP-IR), and glial cells (S100-IR) was determined.
Key findings: Injury that was caused by I/R significantly reduced (p<0.01) the HuC/D-IR general neuronal population. Treatment with resveratrol before and after ischemia had a neuroprotective effect. Morphometric changes caused by I/R in nitrergic neurons and varicosities were also attenuated by resveratrol. Ischemia/reperfusion promoted the proliferation of enteric glial cells, and resveratrol treatment before and after I/R reversed this effect.
Significance: Resveratrol had neuroprotective effects, showing promise for application in intestinal surgery and transplants.
Keywords: Glial cells; Neuronal hypertrophy; S100-IR; Superior mesenteric artery; VIP-IR varicosities; nNOS-IR.
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