Abstract
To compare the resistance of anastomosed and intact jejunal segments of rats submitted to administration of vitamin C in different postoperative periods. Fifty Wistar rats underwent enterotomy followed by end-to-end anastomosis of the jejunal segment, 10 cm from the duodenojejunal flexure. The animals were divided into two groups (n = 25): Group I--control; Group II--administration of oral vitamin C 100 mg/kg. We evaluated the bursting pressures of the anastomotic and the intact jejunal segments in the third, fifth, seventh, 21st and 28th postoperative days. The rats that received vitamin C had higher anastomotic bursting pressure in the fifth, seventh and 28th postoperative days. The same happened with the bursting pressures of intact jejunal segments. Vitamin C increased the resistance of jejunal anastomoses in rats, both in the immediate and in late postoperative periods. In addition, the final resistance of intact jejunal segments of rats under administration of vitamin C was significantly higher than in the control group.
Highlights
In the healing process, under the influence of hypoxia and tissue macrophages, fibroblasts synthesize collagen, which polymerize in its passage into the extracellular space
Ascorbic acid acts as electron donor for the process of hydroxylation of proline during collagen synthesis, a fact that leads to the suspicion of an increased demand for tissue repair[5,6,7,8]
The return of the digestive transit was confirmed since the first postoperative day by the presence of feces in the cages
Summary
Under the influence of hypoxia and tissue macrophages, fibroblasts synthesize collagen, which polymerize in its passage into the extracellular space. Proline is incorporated into the polypeptide chain and undergoes initial action from peptidyl proline-hydroxylase and molecular oxygen to become hydroxyproline. The polymerization of collagen peptides requires removal of the terminal peptides and lysine condensation[1,2,3,4]. Ascorbic acid acts as electron donor for the process of hydroxylation of proline during collagen synthesis, a fact that leads to the suspicion of an increased demand for tissue repair[5,6,7,8]. Recent studies have revealed various functions of ascorbic acid other than those already described in wound healing. The acid is able to capture the free oxygen resulting from cellular metabolism, preventing it from binding with free radicals, which causes cell damage . 9-12 It is likely that ascorbic acid is involved in maintaining intracellular integrity, with participation in capillary integrity, immune responses, allergic reactions and increased iron absorption[13,14,15,16,17]
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