34 research outputs found
Effect of l-glutamine on myenteric neuron and of the mucous of the ileum of diabetic rats
Diabetic autonomic neuropathy: evidence for apoptosis in situ in the rat
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75065/1/j.1365-2982.2004.00524.x.pd
Quantitative study of the myenteric plexus of the stomach of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes
Supplementation with 0.1% and 2% vitamin e in diabetic rats: analysis of myenteric neurons immunostained for myosin-V and nNOS in the jejunum
Morphoquantitative effects of acute diabetes on the myenteric neurons of the proximal colon of adult rats
Effects of L-glutamine supplementation on the myenteric neurons from the duodenum and cecum of diabetic rats
CONTEXT: Peripheral neuropathy is one of the chronic complications of diabetes mellitus and is directly related to gastrointestinal consequences of the disease. Myenteric neurons are affected in some pathological conditions such as diabetic neuropathy. The imbalance between cellular antioxidants and free radicals, leading to an increase in oxidative stress, is considered one of the main factors responsible for neuronal damages in diabetes. Drugs that reduce the oxidative stress may play a significant role in the treatment of neurological complications of diabetes mellitus. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of L-glutamine supplementation on the myenteric neurons from the cecum and duodenum of Wistar rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus. METHODS: The animals were divided in four groups (n = 5): non-treated normoglycemics, normoglycemics treated with L-glutamine, non-treated diabetics and diabetics treated with L-glutamine from the 4th day of diabetes induction on. The amino acid L-glutamine was added to their diet at 1%. Giemsa's technique was employed to stain the myenteric neurons. We determined the cell body area of 500 neurons in each group studied. The quantitative analysis was performed by sampling in an area of 16.6 mmÂČ in the cecum and 3.6 mmÂČ in the duodenum of each animal. RESULTS: After the supplementation with L-glutamine in the duodenum, we observed a preservation of neuronal density in groups normoglycemic and diabetic (P<0.05). We also observed a preservation of the cell bodies area in diabetic animals (group treated with L-glutamine) (P<0.05). In the cecum, that preservation was not evident. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with L-glutamine (1%) promoted a neuroprotective effect on the myenteric neurons from the duodenum of rats, both in terms of natural aging and of diabetes mellitus