Atenolol to treat intestinal ischemia and reperfusion in rats.

Authors :: Campos VF
Miranda-Ferreira R
Taha NS
Teixeira GD
Souza WT
Carmo CE
Silva-Neto LA
Gomes IT
Monteiro HP
Montero EF
Fagundes DJ
Caricati-Neto A
Taha MO
Source :: Transplantation proceedings [Transplant Proc] 2012 Oct; Vol. 44 (8), pp. 2313-6.
Publication Year :: 2012
Abstract: To study whether treatment with the beta-blocker atenolol (AT) attenuates intestinal dysfunction caused by ischemia (I) and reperfusion (R), rats were treated with AT (1.5 mg · kg(-1), intravenously) or saline solution (SS) prior to I (60 minutes), which was produced by occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery, and/or R (120 minutes). After I or I/R, 2-cm jejunal segments were mounted in an organ bath to study neurogenic contractions stimulated by electrical pulses or KCl using a digital recording system. Thin jejunal slices were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for optical microscopy analysis. Compared to the sham group, jejunal contractions were similar in the I + AT and the I/R + AT groups, but reduced in the I + SS and the I/R + SS groups. The jejunal enteric nerves were damaged in the I + SS and the I/R + SS groups, but not in the I + AT and the I/R + AT. These results suggest that AT may attenuate intestinal dysfunction caused by I and I/R.<br /> (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)