Background: Flavonoids have been subjected to considerable investigations due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Yet the effects of flavonoids on the ileum and spleen against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury have so far not been addressed.
Aims: We aimed to investigate whether micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) protects the ileum and spleen against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Methods: Rats were subjected to hepatic ischemia by clamping the hilar area of the rats for 60 min, followed by 60 min of reperfusion. Rats in the treatment group were treated with MPFF (80 mg/kg/day) by gavage for 3 days before surgery, 30 min prior to ischemia and just before the reperfusion. After the reperfusion period, all rats were sacrificed. Ileal and splenic tissues were taken for histological evaluation and determination of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase, total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels.
Results: TAC levels in the splenic tissue and intestinal tissue were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.01 for both). TOS, OSI, and MPO in splenic tissue (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, and P < 0.05, respectively) and intestinal tissue (P < 0.01, P < 0.01, and P < 0.001, respectively) were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group. Histological tissue damage of intestinal tissue was milder in the treatment group than in the control group.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that MPFF pretreatment significantly limited the injury to the small intestine and spleen induced by hepatic ischemia-reperfusion in rats.