M. Furukawa et al., ROLE OF LOCAL PANCREATIC BLOOD-FLOW IN DEVELOPMENT OF HEMORRHAGIC-PANCREATITIS INDUCED BY STRESS IN RATS, Pancreas, 8(4), 1993, pp. 499-505
Our previous data showed that the pancreatitis induced in rats by ceru
lein develops into hemorrhagic pancreatitis following water-immersion
stress. The present study examined the effects of water-immersion stre
ss and high doses of cerulein (intraperitoneal injection) on pancreati
c blood flow. Five hours of water-immersion stress reduced the local p
ancreatic blood flow to approximately 30% of the initial value (253.75
+/- 12.58 ml/min/100 g) without causing any histological alterations.
Blood flow was decreased as early as 1 h after the immersion and reac
hed the lowest value (30% of initial value) 3 h after the immersion. T
he administration of 40 mug/kg body wt cerulein as two intraperitoneal
injections reduced the pancreatic blood flow by 40% 5 h after the fir
st cerulein injection. The injections of cerulein combined with water-
immersion stress did not reduce the pancreatic blood flow more than di
d water-immersion stress alone. The systemic blood pressure was unaffe
cted during 5 h of water immersion after the cerulein injections. Thes
e findings suggest that in rats the stress-induced decrease of local p
ancreatic blood flow may not produce pancreatitis, but may aggravate a
n existing acute pancreatitis.