[Therapeutic effects and mechanisms of tetramethylpyrazine on lung injury in acute haemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis in rats].

To evaluate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), a Chinese herbal medicine, on the lung injury in bile-induced acute haemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis (AHNP) in the SD rats, the rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operative, untreated and TMP treated. AHNP model were induced by ligation with 5% taurocholate. The changes of lung index, serum lipid peroxide (LPO), TXB2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, and lung pathology at light and electron microscope were all investigated at 1, 6, 12 hours after induction of AHNP model. Survival rate of AHNP in rats were recorded also. Results of the study showed that in untreated group, the time-related progressive pancreatic haemorrhage and necrosis, accompanied by pancreatitis-associated lung injury, such as pronounced pulmonary congestion, alveolar and interstitial edema, polymorphonuclear granulocytes infiltration, transparent membrane formation, the density of layer body in type II endothelial cells decreasing, with some vacuole formation, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum swollen, basal membrane of endothelial cells rupture were observed. The level of LPO elevated at 1 hour after induction of AHNP and peaked at 12 hours. TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha was increased. Using TMP treatment, survival rate increased, and lung at light and electron microscope were much improved and lung index, value of LPO, TXB2 decreased significantly, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha increased slightly, the ratio of TXB2/6-keto-PGF1 alpha was stabilized. It was suggested that TMP has definite therapeutic effects on AHNP-related lung injury in rats, and exerted by scavenging oxygen free radical, inhibiting synthesis of TXA2, augmenting production of PGI2 and maintaining balance between TXA2 and PGI2.