leukotriene-b4 and Diarrhea

Although a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis is commonly used as an ulcerative colitis (UC) model in adult rodents, there are no studies using this model in young animals. We examined differences in the severity of DSS-induced colitis as a function of the concentration of DSS administered and sought to establish a DSS-induced colitis model in young rats.. We administrated different concentrations of DSS solution (2%, 3%, and 4%) to 4-week-old weanling rats and compared their clinical findings, colonic histologic findings, mucosal leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production, and mucosal blood flow with control weanling rats and 8-week-old adult rats given 4% DSS for induced colitis.. Clinical symptoms, such as diarrhea and rectal bleeding, histologic findings, and disturbance of mucosal microcirculation in weanling rats given 4% DSS were significantly more severe than those in adult rats given the same treatment. Three of 10 rats given 2% DSS had no bloody stool and 2 of 10 rats given 4% DSS died during the experimental periods. Clinical symptoms, hemoglobin levels, histologic damage scores, mucosal LTB4 production, and mucosal blood flow became more severely deranged as the concentration of DSS increased from 2% to 4%.. These findings suggest that we can adjust disease severity in UC model for young children by giving different concentrations of DSS to weanling rats.

Topics: Aging; Animals; Colitis; Colon; Dextran Sulfate; Diarrhea; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Intestinal Mucosa; Leukotriene B4; Male; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Weaning

Fixed oil of O. basilicum was found to possess significant antiinflammatory activity against carrageenan and different other mediator-induced paw edema in rats. Significant inhibitory effect was also observed in castor oil-induced diarrhoea in rats. It also inhibited arachidonic acid- and leukotriene-induced paw edema. The results of antiinflammatory activity of O. basilicum support the dual inhibition of arachidonate metabolism as indicated by its activity in inflammation models that are insensitive to selective cyclooxygenase inhibitors. On the basis of these findings, it possible to conclude that O. basilicum may be a useful antiinflammatory agent which block both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Arachidonic Acid; Carrageenan; Diarrhea; Edema; Leukotriene B4; Ocimum basilicum; Plant Oils; Rats; Rats, Wistar

Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Chronic Disease; Diarrhea; Dinoprostone; Enterocolitis; Feces; Humans; Leukotriene B4; Male; Mesalamine; Middle Aged

The capacity of the small intestinal mucosa to generate leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and C4 (LTC4) in children with coeliac disease (CD) was investigated by measuring the production of LTB4 and LTC4 in intestinal biopsy specimens after stimulation with 10 microM calcium ionophore A23187. In addition, we examined the relationship between the production of LTB4 and LTC4 in the small intestinal mucosa and symptoms of diarrhoea. LTB4 and LTC4 production was significantly higher in biopsies from patients with active CD than from controls (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). There was no significant difference in LTB4 and LTC4 production between patients with inactive CD and controls. In both patients with active CD and controls, no difference in LTB4 and LTC4 production was observed between the patients with and without diarrhoea. These findings suggest that enhanced generation of LTB4 and LTC4 in the small intestinal mucosa may contribute to the pathophysiology of CD but would not be related to the development of diarrhoea.

Topics: Calcimycin; Celiac Disease; Child; Child, Preschool; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Diarrhea; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Infant; Intestinal Mucosa; Intestine, Small; Leukotriene B4; Leukotriene C4; Radioimmunoassay

Topics: Diarrhea; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Gastrointestinal Motility; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa; Leukotriene B4; Lipoxygenase; Peptic Ulcer; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; Prostaglandins; Prostaglandins E, Synthetic; SRS-A; Thromboxane A2