Proglumide treatment in bile-induced acute experimental pancreatitis.

Rats with acute experimental pancreatitis were treated with the cholecystokinin (CCK)-receptor antagonist proglumide. S-amylase was not affected by proglumide during the initial 4 h but was reduced after 72 h as compared to pre-pancreatitis values. The amylase levels in peritoneal fluid were lower in proglumide treated animals at 1, 2, 4 and 72 h after the induction of the pancreatitis, and amylase in pancreatic tissue was increased by proglumide after six but not 72 h. In spite of these biochemical changes, suggesting beneficial therapeutic effects by proglumide, survival rate was not improved when using a dose of 100 mg/kg every 8 h for 48 h and significantly reduced at a dose of 500 mg/kg every 8 h for 48 h. The results do not support proglumide as the sole treatment in acute pancreatitis.