OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect and its possible mechanism of the supplementation of probiotics combined with riboflavin on the intestinal barriers of the rats after scald injury.

METHODSSeventy Wistar rats were used in the study and were randomly divided into scald control (SC, n = 30), scald and treatment (ST, n = 30) and normal control (NC, n = 10) groups. The rats in SC and ST groups were subjected to 30% TBSA III degree scald. 1.5 ml of isotonic saline suspension containing 5 x 10(12) CFU/L of Bifidobacteria, 5 x 10(10) CFU/L of Bacillus cereus and 5 mg/L of riboflavin was given to rats by gavage in ST group twice a day. For the rats in SC and NC group equal amount of isotonic saline was fed twice a day. The changes in the incidence of bacterial translocation, the amount of intestinal membranous flora, the synthesis and secretion of SIgA in the ileum, and the repair of injured intestinal mucosa were observed.

RESULTSThe incidence of bacterial translocation in ST group was significantly lower than that in SC group (P = 0.000 - 0.025). The plasma level of endotoxin in ST group was markedly lower than that in SC group on 3 post-scald day (PSD) (P < 0.05). The amount of bifidobacteria in caecal membrane flora increased by about 20 to 40 fold, whereas the amounts of E. coli and fungi significantly decreased (P < 0.01). The membranous injury scoring was 3 to 0 on 5 PSD (P < 0.05), and the SIgA content in intestinal mucus returned to normal value on the 5th PSD (P < 0.01) in the ST group.

CONCLUSIONSupplementation of probiotics together with riboflavin could ameliorate translocation of bacteria and endotoxin in rats with scald injury, implying that the intestinal barrier function was effectively protected.