Colonic neuronal loss and delayed motility induced by high-fat diet occur independently of changes in the major groups of microbiota in Swiss mice.

Background: Obesity has been linked to gastrointestinal disorders, and the loss of myenteric neurons in the intestine caused by high-fat diets (HFD) has been attributed to changes in microbiota and lipotoxicity. We investigated whether the prebiotic inulin modulates bacterial populations and alleviates neuronal loss in mice fed HFD.

Methods: Swiss mice were fed purified rodent diet or HFD (59% kcal fat), or both diets supplemented with inulin for 17 weeks.

Resveratrol promotes neuroprotection and attenuates oxidative and nitrosative stress in the small intestine in diabetic rats.

Damages to the enteric nervous system caused by diabetes mellitus (DM) are frequently attributed to oxidative and nitrosative stress. We aimed to investigate the effect of Resveratrol (RSV) (10 mg/kg) on oxidative and nitrosative stress in the intestinal wall and morphoquantitative aspects of the myenteric plexus of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum in diabetic rats. Twenty-four rats were distributed into four groups (n = 6/group): control (C group), control treated with RSV (CR group), diabetic (D group), and diabetic treated with RSV (DR group) for 120 days.

Resveratrol promotes myenteric neuroprotection in the ileum of rats after ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Aims: The present study evaluated the effects of resveratrol in the myenteric plexus after intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury caused by occluding the superior mesenteric artery for 45min, followed by 7days of reperfusion.

Main Methods: Forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups: control (C group), untreated sham surgery control (SC group), sham surgery control treated with resveratrol before surgery (STA group), sham surgery control treated with resveratrol before and after surgery (STAD group), ischemic control (IRC group), ischemic treated before I/R (IRTA group), and ischemic treated before and after I/R (IRTAD group). Resveratrol (10mg/kg) was administered for 4days and 2h prior to surgery and/or 7days later.

Resveratrol Reduces Morphologic Changes in the Myenteric Plexus and Oxidative Stress in the Ileum in Rats with Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Background: Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury can be caused by surgical procedures and inflammatory bowel disease. It is normally associated with the increased production of free radicals and changes in the enteric nervous system.

Aims: Given the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of resveratrol, the present study assessed its influence on oxidative stress in the intestinal wall and the morphology of myenteric neurons in the ileum of rats subjected to ischemia/reperfusion.

Intestinal and neuronal myenteric adaptations in the small intestine induced by a high-fat diet in mice.

Background: The prevalence of obesity has increased at alarming rates, particularly because of the increased consumption of high-fat diets (HFDs). The influence of HFDs on intrinsic innervation and the intestinal wall has not been fully characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the morpho-quantitative aspects of myenteric neurons and the wall of the small intestine in mice fed a HFD.

Protective effect of metformin against walker 256 tumor growth is not dependent on metabolism improvement.

Background/aims: The objective of the current work was to test the effect of metformin on the tumor growth in rats with metabolic syndrome.

Methods: We obtained pre-diabetic hyperinsulinemic rats by neonatal treatment with monosodium L-glutamate (MSG), which were chronically treated every day, from weaning to 100 day old, with dose of metformin (250 mg/kg body weight). After the end of metformin treatment, the control and MSG rats, treated or untreated with metformin, were grafted with Walker 256 carcinoma cells.

High-fat diet promotes neuronal loss in the myenteric plexus of the large intestine in mice.

Background: Obesity is considered a risk factor for other chronic diseases, and diets rich in lipids can cause alterations in the intestinal functions.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) on the myenteric plexus of the large intestine in mice.

Methods: Swiss mice were distributed into four groups: Control animals fed standard chow for 8 and 17 weeks (C8 and C17 groups) and hyperlipidic animals fed HFD for 8 and 17 weeks (Ob8 and Ob17 groups).