Effects of Beta-d-glucan on diabetic colon anastomosis.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of beta-D-glucan on the experimental diabetic rat colon anastomosis model.

Background: Beta-D-glucan is a commonly used macrophage activator and promotes wound healing by increasing macrophage infiltration into the wound. The decrease in the function of macrophages and impaired wound healing can be observed in diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: Eighty Spraque-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: colon anastomosis (group 1); colon anastomosis + DM (group 2); colon anastomosis + beta-D-glucan (group 3); and colon anastomosis + beta-D-glucan + DM (group 4). Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin (85 mg/kg), and glycemia was assessed before induction at days 14 and 17. Colon anastomosis was performed at day 14. Beta-D-glucan (100 mg/kg/day) was administered 2 days before colon anastomosis and given orally for 5 days. Relaparotomies were done 3 days after colon anastomosis, and anastomotic bursting pressures, anastomotic hydroxyproline levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and histopathology examinations were studied.

Results: There were no differences among groups for hydroxyproline levels. The mean values of anastomotic bursting pressures in group 4 were significantly higher than those of group 2. The mean values of MDA levels in group 2 were significantly lower than those of group 4. Group 2 showed a significant difference in the amount of necrosis, accumulation of polmorphonuclear cells, and edema when compared with groups 1, 3, and 4 (P < 0.001, P < 0.002, and P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion: This study indicates that oral administration of beta-D-glucan significantly improves the impaired anastomotic healing in rats with diabetes mellitus.