EFFECT OF POSTISCHEMIC REPERFUSION ON THE PANCREAS

In an examination of the effect of ischemia and reperfusion on the gen eration of active oxygen species during pancreatic cell damage, a shor t-term ischemia and reperfusion model was prepared by the occlusion an d reperfusion of both the anterior mesenteric artery and the celiac ar tery in rats. Following 60 minutes of occlusion plus 7 hours of reperf usion of the anterior mesenteric artery and the celiac artery, the ser um concentrations of amylase and lipase rose significantly to 7 and 6 times the respective control values. After 30 minutes of occlusion plu s 7 hours of reperfusion, or after 7 hours of occlusion without. reper fusion, amylase and lipase levels were not changed significantly. The continuous intravenous infusion of superoxide dismutase (3600 U/kg/hou r) in rats receiving 60 minutes of occlusion plus 7 hours of reperfusi on suppressed the rise in serum amylase and lipase values to 25 percen t of the values in the non-injected group. These results suggest that the active oxygen species which are generated by the short-term ischem ia and reperfusion method injure the endothelium and cause hyperamylas emia and hyperlipasemia. Inhibition of the rise in serum amylase and l ipase concentrations by pretreatment with a scavenger of active oxygen , superoxide dismutase, suggests that the active oxygen species are in volved in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis.