Effect of ω-3 fatty acid on gastrointestinal motility after abdominal operation in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether ω-3 fatty acid could stimulate gastrointestinal motility after abdominal operation. METHOD: Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 group (normal saline group, intralipid group, and ω-3 fatty acid group, n = 18/group) after partial caecectomy and gastrostomosis, each group was divided into 3 groups (POD1, POD3, and POD6, n = 6/group). Serum gastrin (GAS), motilin (MTL), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tissue necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), gastric emptying rate, and small bowel propulsion rate were measured. RESULTS: On POD 3, gastric emptying rate and small bowel propulsion rate in ω-3 fatty acid group were higher than those in normal saline group and intralipid group. Serum GAS and MTL levels in ω-3 fatty acid group were higher than those in normal saline group, but serum IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2 levels were lower than those in normal saline group and intralipid group. CONCLUSION: ω-3 fatty acid could accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal mobility after abdominal operation in rats, mainly by relieving postoperative inflammation.