Evidence of free radical (FR) involvement in ischemic colitis.

Early ischemic colitis was induced in rats to evaluate the roles of FRs and intraluminal content. After 30 minutes of ischemia, biopsies for histology, conjugated dienes (CD) and malonaldehyde (M), presumptive marker of lipid peroxidation, were obtained at 0, 30, and 60 minutes reperfusion. Histology was unchanged. CD and M were elevated in ischemic and saline controls, and rose progressively during reperfusion; CD and M were essentially the same as non-ischemic controls during reperfusion with intraluminal corticosteroid (c) and Alcide (A). These agents may be beneficial in early ischemic colitis.