Effects of carbachol on intestinal proinflammatory factors and tissue water content in rats with sepsis

Objective To investigate the effects of carbachol(CAR) on intestinal proinflammatory factors and tissue water content in rats with sepsis.Methods Sepsis was produced in thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats by cecal ligation and puncture(CLP),and they were divided randomly into two equal groups:septic model group(CLP group)and septic model with CAR-treatment group(CAR group).CAR(10μg/kg,CAR group) or saline(CLP group) was immediately injected through penial vein.The animals were sacrificed at 6h and 12h after CLP(8 and 6 rats in two groups,respectively).Jejunum specimens were harvested for the evaluation of contents of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),nitric oxide(NO),myeloperoxidase(MPO) and diamine oxidase(DAO),and also the assessment of rate of water content(ratio of dry to wet weight).Results The TNF-α levels in jejunum tissue of CAR group were 348±86 and 401±143pg/g protein(prot) at 6h and 12h after CLP,which were significantly lower than those of CLP group(512±100,701±135pg/g prot,P0.05).The levels of NO and MPO in CAR group were also markedly decreased compared with those in CLP group(P0.05).The activities of DAO of CAR group at 6h and 12h after CLP were 0.22±0.07 and 0.22±0.08U/g prot,respectively,which were significantly higher than those of CLP group(0.12±0.04,0.11±0.04U/g prot,P0.05).The water ratios of jejunum tissue of CAR group were(66.3±4.5)% and(66.8±3.4)% at 6h and 12h after CLP,which were obviously lower than those of CLP group [(71.6±3.2)% and(72.1±2.8)%,P0.05].Conclusion CAR plays a protective role on abdominal sepsis-induced intestinal injury by inhibiting the production of TNF-α and NO,and alleviating local inflammation and tissue edema of intestine.