Rhubarb extract partially improves mucosal integrity in chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis

Table 4 Gastrointestinal organ weights of rats gavaged daily with water, low-dose and high-dose rhubarb extract (1 mL) during an 8-d rial period and administered an intraperitoneal injection of saline or 5-fluorouracil on day 5

	Water + saline	Water + 5-FU	LDR + 5-FU	HDR+ 5-FU
Duodenum	0.2 ± 0.0	0.2 ± 0.0	0.2 ± 0.0	0.2 ± 0.0
Jejunum and ileum	2.1 ± 0.1	1.9 ± 0.0b	1.9 ± 0.2	1.9 ± 0.1
Colon	0.5 ± 0.0	0.5 ± 0.0	0.7 ± 0.0d	0.6 ± 0.0

^bP < 0.01 vs water + saline;

^dP < 0.01 vs water + 5-FU. All values are expressed as mean (% relative to bodyweight) ± SEM. LDR: Low-dose RE; HDR: High-dose RE; RE: Rhubarb extract.