Fucoidan improves intestinal peristaltic function in rats with postoperative ileus

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Postoperative ileus (POI) significantly impacts patient recovery, characterized by impaired intestinal motility.
• The therapeutic potential of fucoidan, a polysaccharide from brown algae, for POI remains unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of fucoidan in ameliorating POI in a rat model.
• To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of fucoidan's action on intestinal motility.

Main Methods:

• A rat model of POI was established to assess the effects of oral fucoidan pretreatment.
• Key parameters evaluated included time to first defecation, food intake, small intestinal propulsion rate, and motility index (MI%).
• In vitro studies examined smooth muscle contractility, while immunohistochemistry and molecular analyses assessed inflammatory markers and signaling pathways (TrkB/ERK1/2/Akt).

Main Results:

• Fucoidan pretreatment significantly improved intestinal motility, reducing time to first defecation and increasing food intake, propulsion rate, and MI% in POI rats.
• Fucoidan enhanced the contractile response of intestinal smooth muscle to carbachol and reduced macrophage infiltration.
• Mechanistically, fucoidan demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, normalizing inflammatory factors, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) levels, and modulating TrkB/ERK1/2/Akt signaling.

Conclusions:

• Fucoidan effectively alleviates POI-induced impairment of rat intestinal motility.
• The therapeutic benefits of fucoidan are attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
• Fucoidan's action likely involves the TrkB/ERK1/2/Akt signaling pathways, suggesting a novel therapeutic avenue for POI.