Effect of Resveratrol on the Prevention of Intra-Abdominal Adhesion Formation in a Rat Model

Background: Intra-abdominal adhesions are a very common complication following abdominal surgery. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the inhibition of inflammation at the sites of peritoneal injury can prevent the formation of intra-abdominal adhesions. Resveratrol is a natural extract with a broad range of anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, we propose that resveratrol can reduce the formation of intra-abdominal adhesions after surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of resveratrol on intra-abdominal adhesion prevention in a rat model with surgery-induced peritoneal adhesions. Materials and Methods: The cecum wall and its opposite parietal peritoneum were abraded following laparotomy to induce intra-abdominal adhesion formation. Varying doses of resveratrol were administered to the animals. On the eighth day after surgery, the adhesion score was assessed using a visual scoring system. Picrosirius red staining and a hydroxyproline assay were used to assess the amount of collagen deposition in the adhesion tissues. The levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blotting was performed to determine the protein expression of TGF-β1, fibrinogen, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in rat peritoneal adhesion tissue. Real-time RT-PCR was performed to quantify the mRNA expression of TGF-β1, fibrinogen, and α-SMA. Results: Resveratrol significantly reduced intra-abdominal adhesion formation and fibrin deposition in the rat model. Furthermore, resveratrol significantly reduced the serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β1. The protein and mRNA expression of TGF-β1, fibrinogen, and α-SMA in the rat peritoneum and adhesion tissues were also down-regulated due to resveratrol intervention. Conclusion: Resveratrol can effectively prevent the formation of postoperative intra-abdominal adhesions in a rat model. This effect may be related to the suppression of inflammatory cytokine expression in the injured peritoneum by resveratrol. This study suggests that resveratrol may be a new and effective anti-adhesive agent that is worthy of further study and has potential application value.