ABSTRACT
Objective To study the effects of glutamine (Gln) combined with growth hormone (GH) on the levels of cytokine (TNF-?, IL-1, IL-6), coritsol and amino acid metabolism in septic rats. Methods Ten out of 79 SD rats were randomly collected as the control group. Thirty of 69 septic SD rats, which were made by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) method and were given parenteral nutrition (PN) lived to day 6. They were also randomly divided into three groups as follows: septic group (n=10), parenteral supplemented glutamine group (Gln group, n=10), and Gln combined with GH (Gln+GH group, n=10). On the 6th day, blood drew from portal veins of the dead rats was used to detect the levels of TNF-?, IL-1, IL-6 and cortisol by ELISA. The plasma concentrations of free amino acids were determined by amino acid auto-analyzer. The muscle tissue of extensor digitorum longus was used to determine 3-methyl-histidine (3-MH) by high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC). Results Except for the control group, most rats developed celiac abscess, hepatic abscess and pulmonary infection. The serum levels of TNF-?, IL-1, IL-6 and cortisol were significantly higher in the septic group than those of the other three groups, and they were significantly lower in the Gln+GH group than those of the Gln group, P