ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: NSAIDs induce gut damage throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract and bacterial translocation. The aim of this study was to examine if administration of glutamine was able to prevent the NSAID-induced gut damages and bacterial translocation in the animal models. METHODS: Rats were utilized into 5 groups; control group, diclofenac group, and diclofenac with glutamine 0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 g/kg/day group. The animals with glutamine were fed with L-glutamine for 4 days before diclofenac administration. Gut injury was induced by administration of a single dose of diclofenac (80 mg/kg orally). Intestinal permeability (24 hour urinary excretion of phenolsulfonphthalein), enteric aerobic bacterial counts, serum biochemical profiles and bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes, liver and spleen were measured. RESULTS: Diclofenac caused the increase in intestinal permeability, enteric bacterial count, enteric protein and albumin loss and bacterial translocation. Administration of glutamine reduced the increase in intestinal permeability, protein losing enteropathy, enteric bacterial overgrowth and bacterial translocation induced by diclofenac. CONCLUSIONS: Glutamine may have beneficial effects on NSAID-induced gut damage and bacterial translocation.