Protective effect of rhubarb on the intestinal mucosal barrier

Table 1 The effect of rhubarb on plasma endotoxin (EU/mL, ^-x ± s)

Group	n	Pre shock	24 h after resuscitation
Shock	16	0.163 ± 0.042	0.557 ± 0.069b
Rhubarb	14	0.173 ± 0.039	0.345 ± 0.055d
Placebo	5	0.209 ± 0.034	0.625 ± 0.049
Sham shock	5	0.198 ± 0.034	0.166 ± 0.043

The data were expressed as endotoxin unit (EU) per milliliter of plasma

^bP < 0.01 vs sham-shocked rats.

^dP < 0.01 versus the shocked rats and the placebo treated rats.

Table 2 The effect of rhubarb on the content of tissue superoxidedismutase (NU/mL or mg, ¯x ± s)

Group	n	Plasma	Small intestine	Liver
Endotoxin	17	122.92 ± 43.19	292.24 ± 88.76	272.70 ± 85.79
Rhubarb	8	312.23 ± 54.93b	391.09 ± 98.16a	542.86 ± 119.93b
Placebo	4	149.71 ± 19.45	257.16 ± 73.78	213.86 ± 22.53

The data were expressed as nitrate unit per milliliter or microgram.

^aP < 0.05,

^bP < 0.01, vs endotoxin and placebo group.

Table 3 The effect of rhubarb on the content of tissue lipoperoxide (μmol/L, ¯x ± s)

Group	n	Small intestine	Liver
Endotoxin	17	8.57 ± 2.58	86.97 ± 46.54
Rhubarb	8	3.05 ± 1.13a	13.18 ± 19.64a
Placebo	4	5.97 ± 1.18	74.88 ± 16.42

The data were expressed as nanomole per milliliter of 5% tissue hemogenate.

^aP < 0.01 vs endotoxin and placebo group.