Protective Effect of Rutin on Splanchnic Injury Following Ischemia and Reperfusion in Rats

A splanchic artery occlusion for 90 min followed by reperfusion of the mesenteric circulation resulted in a severe form of circulatory shock characterized by endothelial dysfunction, severe hypotension, marked intestinal tissue injury, and a high mortality rate. The effect of rutin, a flavonoid having antiprostanoid, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, antioxidant effect, were investigated in a model of splanchnic artery occlusion (SAO) shock in urethane anesthetized rats. Occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery for 90 min produced a severe shock state resulted in a fatal outcome within 120 min of reperfusion in many rats. Rutin was given as a bolus (1.28 mg/kg) 10 min prior to reperfusion. Administration of rutin significantly improved mean arterial blood pressure in comparison to vehicle treated rats (p＜0.05). Rutin treatment also resulted in a significant attenuation in the increase in plasma amino nitrogen concentration, intestinal myeloperoxidase activity, intestinal lipid peroxidation, infiltration of neutrophils in intestine and thrombin induced adherence of neutrophils to superior mesentric artery segments. These results suggest that rutin provides beneficial effects in part by preserving endothelial function and attenuating neutrophil accumulation in the ischemic reperfused splanchnic circulation.