Effects of carbachol on plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 in rats during gut ischemia-reperfusion

Objective: To investigate the effects of carbachol on the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and cortisol in plasma of rats during gut ischemia-reperfusion.

Methods: Wistar rats were anaesthetized with soluble pentobarbitone, and subjected to superior mesenteric artery occlusion (SMAO) for 60 minutes, followed by reperfusion for 60 minutes. Animals were divided into three groups, pretreated group (intramuscular injection carbachol at 30 minutes after SMAO, 0.1 mg/kg), treated group (intramuscular injection of carbachol at 30 minutes after reperfusion), and control group (saline injected). The levels of TNF-alpha, IL-10 and cortisol in plasma were determined at 0 hour, 1 hour, 2.5 hours and 6 hours after SMAO.

Results: The levels of TNF-alpha, IL-10 and cortisol significantly increased after SMAO (P<0.01 ). The levels of TNF-alpha significantly decreased in pretreated and treated groups than that in control after the intramuscular injection of carbachol (all P<0.01). However, the levels of IL-10 and cortisol did not show significant differences among three groups. It was also found that lower content of TNF-alpha in pretreated group than that in treated group, especially at 1 hour and 6 hours.

Conclusions: The results suggest that carbachol reduce the proinflammatory cytokine releasing and has a less inhibiting effect on the anti-inflammatory cytokine. It is indicated that carbachol play a potential role in alleviating systemic inflammatory response during splanchnic ischemia-reperfusion injury.