Role of intestinal fluid in restitution of blood volume and plasma protein after hemorrhage in awake rats

To determine whether food and/or water in the gastrointestinal tract affects restitution of blood volume and plasma protein after hemorrhage, fed and 24-h-fasted awake rats received a 20 ml · kg ^-1 · 3 min^-1 hemorrhage, and restitution of blood volume was measured by Evans blue dye and dilution of hematocrit. Restitution of blood volume and plasma protein in fed rats was complete by 2-4 h. In contrast, restitution was severely attenuated in fasted rats and was not complete by 24 h. Because initial blood volume was significantly lower in the fasted rats (55.4 ± 1.7 vs. 64.9 ± 2.5 ml/kg in fed), the percent blood lost during hemorrhage was significantly greater (36 vs. 31%). However, the attenuated restitution was not the result of the larger hemorrhage, as fed rats receiving a 36% hemorrhage also restored blood volume completely by 4 h. In fasted rats, complete restitution of blood volume did occur when either water or food and water were given 4 h after hemorrhage. Gastrointestinal water content fell (from 65.5 ± 4.8 to 47.9 ± 1.6 ml/kg) 2 h after hemorrhage in fed but not in fasted rats (33.5 ± 2.4 to 30.6 ± 2.5 ml/kg). These data suggest that gastrointestinal fluid is essential for complete restoration of blood volume in the awake rat.