Protective effect of rhubarb against intestinal mucosal barrier injury in rats with obstructive jaundice

Objective: To investigate the effects of raw rhubarb (RR) on the intestinal barrier dysfunction and endotoxemia in rat models with obstructive jaundice (OJ). Methods: Twenty-seven Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly allocated to four groups: control ([Formula: see text]), sham operation ([Formula: see text]), model ([Formula: see text]), and treatment ([Formula: see text]). Rat models with OJ were used in the model and treatment groups. In the treatment group, rats were intragastrically administered with RR granular solution. After treatment, serum endotoxin (ET), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin (TB) levels were determined. The liver tissue, bile duct tissue above the obstruction bile duct site, and parts of the ileum and colon tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and observed by light microscopy, and the histopathological changes in the ileum were observed by electron microscopy. Results: Fourteen days after the rats in the treatment group were intragastrically administered with RR granular solution, the ALT, AST, and TB levels showed no significant difference between the control and sham operation groups ([Formula: see text]). Serum ET level was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the model group ([Formula: see text]). Histopathology of the liver and bile duct revealed that RR might alleviate OJ-associated hepatocyte degeneration/necrosis, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and hepatic fibrosis, and reduce the damage to parietal cells and bile duct mucosa. In OJ rats, RR might also have a protective effect against colonic wall edema and necrosis and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Conclusions: RR may improve the structural changes in the intestinal mucosa caused by OJ and decrease serum ET level in OJ rats.