Particular research interest is currently focusing on the resuscitation of the gastrointestinal tract, because the gut is regarded to be both the ‘canary of the body’, i.e. a sentinel organ during situations of compromised oxygen or substrate supply, as well as the ‘motor of multiple organ failure’. Several therapeutic strategies have recently been proposed for the resuscitation of this organ system, aimed primarily at the augmentation of blood flow and oxygenation but also integrating nutritional or metabolic support and antioxidant administration.