Local microcirculatory dysfunction within the pancreatic gland might be an important factor in the conversion of oedematous to necrotizing
pancreatitis. Therapeutic agents, improving the pancreatic blood flow, might be valuable in
acute pancreatitis treatment. An influence of
nitric oxide,
heparin and
procaine treatment on microcirculatory values in
acute pancreatitis (AP) in rats was investigated.
Acute pancreatitis was induced by i.p. injection of
cerulein in four doses of 15 microg kg-1 each at 1-h intervals. The rats with
pancreatitis were divided into five groups, 12 animals each. One group remained without treatment, four groups were treated i.p. either with
NO synthase inhibitor L-NNA (2x25 mg kg-1 or
heparin 2x2.5 mg kg-1 or
L-arginine 2x100 mg kg-1 or
procaine 2x25 mg kg-1. Five control groups, ten animals each, received saline, L-NNA,
heparin,
L-arginine or
procaine only. Five hours after the first ceruleine injection microcirculatory values within the pancreas were measured by means of
laser Doppler flowmetry.
Acute pancreatitis caused a significant drop of microcirculatory value to 37% of the basal value. The L-NNA administration resulted in a further insignificant reduction of the pancreatic blood flow to 34%. An improvement of microcirculation was observed in rats with
pancreatitis receiving
heparin (76%) and
L-arginine (72%).
Procaine had no effect on microcirculatory disturbances within the pancreas in rats with
pancreatitis. Cn-induced
acute pancreatitis (AP) causes microcirculatory deterioration within the pancreas.
Heparin and
nitric oxide donor,
L-arginine, might be considered as therapeutic agents, improving the diminished pancreatic tissue perfusion observed in
acute pancreatitis.
Procaine does not improve the pancreatic blood flow in
acute pancreatitis.