Effect of acute irradiation on small bowel morphometry and D-xylose absorption in rats]

In previous study in our laboratory, we had shown the effect of radiation on morphometry of small bowel of rats after 7 days of a single external doses of 1,000 rads with liver protection. Our aim was to determine the effect of the same procedure of gamma radiation in rats on the morphometry and D-Xylose absorption 7, 14 and 21 days after injury and compared with a control group matched by weight. The D-Xylose absorption was measured by plasmatic D-Xylose, 60' after an intragastric doses of the pentose (0.5 grs/kg of body weight).In the control group the mucosal thickness was 880 +/- 40 mu (X +/- SD), the vellous height was 640 +/- 37.6 mu and the xylosemia 15.91 +/- 11.39 mg%. At 7 days in the irradiated group (n: 11) the weight decreased 33.36 +/- 6.29% (Vs. control p less than .001), the mucosal thickness and the vellous height were 666 +/- 97 (p less than .001) and 466 +/- 66.9 mu (p less than .001) and the xylosemia 6.16 +/- 2.3 (p less than .05). The figures at 14 days (n: 16) showed improving and completed recovery at 21 days (n: 14). Irradiated rats were shown to be affected in weight, morphology and D-Xylose absorption, they began recovering after 7 days, and completed recovery at 21 days.