HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Effect of melatonin on the severity of L-arginine-induced experimental acute pancreatitis in rats.

AbstractAIM:
To determine the effect of melatonin pre- and post-treatment on the severity of L-arginine (L-Arg) -induced experimental pancreatitis in rats.
METHODS:
Male Wistar rats (25) were divided into five groups. Those in group A received two injections of 3.2g/kg body weight L-Arg i.p. at an interval of 1h. In group MA, the rats were treated with 50 mg/kg body weight melatonin i.p. 30 min prior to L-Arg administration. In group AM, the rats received the same dose of melatonin 1h after L-Arg was given. In group M, a single dose of melatonin was administered as described previously. In group C the control animals received physiological saline injections i.p. All rats were exsanguinated 24 h after the second L-Arg injection.
RESULTS:
L-Arg administration caused severe necrotizing pancreatitis confirmed by the significant elevations in the serum amylase level, the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio (pw/bw), the pancreatic IL-6 content and the myeloperoxidase activity, relative to the control values. Elevation of the serum amylase level was significantly reduced in rats given melatonin following L-Arg compared to rats injected with L-Arg only. The activities of the pancreatic antioxidant enzymes (Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and catalase (CAT)) were significantly increased 24 h after pancreatitis induction. Melatonin given in advance of L-Arg significantly reduced the pancreatic CAT activity relative to that in the rats treated with L-Arg alone. In the liver, L-Arg significantly increased the lipid peroxidation level, and the glutathione peroxidase and Cu/Zn-SOD activities, whereas the Mn-SOD activity was reduced as compared to the control rats. Melatonin pre-treatment prevented these changes.
CONCLUSION:
Melatonin is an antioxidant that is able to counteract some of the L-Arg-induced changes during acute pancreatitis, and may therefore be helpful in the supportive therapy of patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis.
AuthorsAnnamaria Szabolcs, Russel J Reiter, Tamas Letoha, Peter Hegyi, Gabor Papai, Ilona Varga, Katalin Jarmay, Jozsef Kaszaki, Reka Sari, Zoltan Rakonczay Jr, Janos Lonovics, Tamas Takacs
JournalWorld journal of gastroenterology (World J Gastroenterol) Vol. 12 Issue 2 Pg. 251-8 (Jan 14 2006) ISSN: 1007-9327 [Print] United States
PMID16482626 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Arginine
  • Catalase
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Amylases
  • Melatonin
Topics
  • Acute Disease
  • Amylases (blood)
  • Animals
  • Arginine (toxicity)
  • Catalase (metabolism)
  • Lipid Peroxidation (drug effects)
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde (analysis)
  • Melatonin (therapeutic use)
  • Pancreatitis (chemically induced, drug therapy)
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Superoxide Dismutase (metabolism)

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: