THE EFFECTS OF GREEN TEA CATECHINS (POLYPHENON) ON DL-ETHIONINE-INDUCED ACUTE-PANCREATITIS

The effects of green tea catechins (Polyphenon) on DL-ethionine-indduc e acute pancreatitis in rats were examined. The acute pancreatitis ind uced in this study was characterized by moderate inter- and intrastiti al edema and patchy acinar cell necrosis. In rats induced with acute p ancreatitis by an intraperitoneal injection of DL-ethionine, the wet w eight of the pancreas (0.47+/-0.059 g/100 g body weight; p < 0.05), th e serum amylase (10,432+/-996 IU/L; p < 0.001), and the tissue concent ration of lipid peroxides (19.5+/-1.78 nmol/mg tissue DNA; p < 0.001) were significantly increased compared with values obtained in control rats (0.39+/-0.037 g/100 g body weight, 5,639+/-1,568 IU/L, and 10.7+/ -1.04 nmol/mg tissue DNA, respectively) injected with isotonic saline. In contrast, in rats injected with DL-ethionine and supplied with a g reen tea catechin solution as a beverage instead of water during the e xperimental period, the tissue of pancreas was almost-correct, and the wet weight of the pancreas (0.39+/-0.054 g/100 g body weight; p < 0.0 5), the serum amylase (5,716+/-708 IU/L;p < 0.001), and the concentrat ion of lipid peroxides in tissue (11.5+/-2.15 nmol/mg tissue DNA; p < 0.001) were significantly decreased compared with values obtained in r ats injected with DL-ethionine and supplied with water as a beverage. These data suggest that green tea catechins may have a protective effe ct on the pathogenesis of experimental acute pancreatitis.