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1: World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Feb 14;14(6):918-24.Click here to read Click here to read Links

Melatonin reduces bacterial translocation and apoptosis in trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid-induced colitis of rats.

Akcan A, Kucuk C, Sozuer E, Esel D, Akyildiz H, Akgun H, Muhtaroglu S, Aritas Y.

Department of General Surgery, Erciyes University School of Medicine, Kayseri 38039, Turkey. acakcan2002@yahoo.com

AIM: To investigate the effects of exogenous melatonin on bacterial translocation and apoptosis in a rat ulcerative colitis model. METHODS: Rats were randomly assigned to three groups: group I: control, group II: experimental colitis, group III: colitis plus melatonin treatment. On d 11 after colitis, plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha, portal blood endotoxin levels, colon tissue myeloperoxidase and caspase-3 activity were measured. Bacterial translocation was quantified by blood, lymph node, liver and spleen culture. RESULTS: We observed a significantly reduced incidence of bacterial translocation to the liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, portal and systemic blood in animals treated with melatonin. Treatment with melatonin significantly decreased the caspase-3 activity in colonic tissues compared to that in trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid- treated rats (16.11 +/- 2.46 vs 32.97 +/- 3.91, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Melatonin has a protective effect on bacterial translocation and apoptosis.

PMID: 18240350 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

PMCID: PMC2687060