Nitric oxide contributes to multiorgan oxidative stress in acute experimental pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND

Nitric oxide is a highly reactive free radical gas. The study was undertaken to determine the nitric oxide contribution to oxidative stress in acute experimental pancreatitis induced in Wistar rats.

METHODS

Acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis was induced in male Wistar rats by means of a retrograde intraductal injection of 5% Na-taurocholate. The rats were treated with the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (0.25 mg/kg), or with N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (10 mg/kg), which is an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. We measured malondialdehyde and sulphhydryl group concentrations in pancreatic, lung, and liver tissue.

RESULTS

In rats with acute pancreatitis treated with SNP, oxidative stress, expressed by malondialdehyde increase and sulphhydryl group depletion, was much more pronounced than in the other groups. In contrast, intensity of the oxidative stress was significantly reduced in rats treated with L-NAME.

CONCLUSION

The data suggest that nitric oxide is partly responsible for oxidative stress in acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis.