Research Information System
Indian Journal of Surgery, vol.87, no.5, pp.865-872, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Anastomotic leakage remains one of the most feared complications after colorectal surgery. Hypericum perforatum has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects. On the other hand, Hypericum perforatum has been experimentally shown to have positive effects on experimental intestinal models. In this study, we investigated the effects of Hypericum perforatum on the healing of experimental colon anastomoses. Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 8). In all groups, a part of the distal colon was excised and an end-to-end anastomosis was performed: group 1: control, saline/intraperitoneally; group 2: 25 mg/kg/day/intraperitoneally; and group 3: 50 mg/kg/day/intraperitoneally Hypericum perforatum was given. On the 7th postoperative day, anastomotic burst pressures were measured and adhesion formation around the anastomosis was examined. Hydroxyproline levels were measured in the tissues. Inflammatory cell infiltration, fibroblast and collagen density, and neovascularization were evaluated by histopathological methods. There was no significant difference between burst pressures and hydroxyproline levels in group 1 and group 2, but there was a significant difference between group 1 and group 3 (p = 0.44, p = 0.038, respectively). Adhesion formation (p = 0.017) and inflammatory cell infiltration scores in the Hypericum perforatum applied groups were significantly lower than than in the control group (p < 0.05). Fibroblast, collagen density, and especially neovascularization degrees showed significant differences between the groups (p < 0.05). Our results show that Hypericum perforatum increases colonic anastomosis healing in rats.