ABSTRACT:
Hunger, starvation, and malnutrition are still major health problems in several world regions. Hunger and starvation lead to malnutrition and decrease the immune response, which causes several infectious diseases. In addition, the starving intestine can suppress the ability of villi to absorb nutrition, which can worsen this situation. Administration of protein, especially albumin, was expected to relieve intestinal damage. Channa striata or cork fish have been known to have high albumin content. This study aimed to determine whether the administration of Channa striata extracts can restore villi length and goblet cell number on small intestine villi of malnutrition mice and observe TNF-a expression on intestinal mucosa as an inflammation indicator. Twenty-four malnutrition mice models were divided into three groups: malnutrition mice, malnutrition mice with standard food, and malnutrition mice with standard food supplemented with Channa striata extract. On the fifth day, all mice were sacrificed to take small intestine specimens and examined microscopically. The slides were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin to evaluate goblet cells and villi length, and an immunohistochemistry assay was performed to evaluate TNF-a expression. This study showed that administering Channa striata extracts restore villi damage by increasing the number of goblet cells and villi length in the small intestine and reducing TNF-a expression on intestinal mucosa epithelia. Villi length, number of goblet cells, and TNF-a expression in malnutrition intestine mice showed results close to the normal value of these variables in healthy mice. This study shows that the administration of Channa striata extract can restore villi damage and decrease the inflammatory process in the small intestine of starving mice.