BENEFICIAL-EFFECTS OF PENTOXIFYLLINE TREATMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL ACUTE-PANCREATITIS IN RATS

The purposes of this study were to determine the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels after the induction of acute ne crotizing pancreatitis, and to establish the effects of pentoxifylline on cytokine production. Methods: acute pancreatitis was induced by th e retrograde injection of 200 mu l taurocholic acid into the pancreati c duct in male Wistar rats. The serum amylase activity, the wet pancre atic weight/body weight ratio, and the TNF and IL-6 levels were measur ed. Seven mg/kg pentoxifylline were administered intraperitoneally at the time of operation 6, 12 or 24 h later. Rats were killed 6, 24, 48 or 72 h after the operation. Results: the TNF bioassay revealed high l evels of TNF (30.2+/-5.4 U/ml, 35.0+/-5.0 U/ml and 36.6+/-6.0 U/ml) in the control group at 6, 24 and 48 h and (54.1+/-20 U/ml and 10.9+/-4. 2 U/ml) in the pentoxifylline-treated group at 6 and 24 h, respectivel y, whereas the level had decreased to zero in the pentoxifylline-treat ed group at 48 h. The IL-6 bioassay likewise demonstrated high levels of IL-6 in the control group at 48 h and in the pentoxifylline-treated group at 6 and 24 h, and markedly decreased levels in the pentoxifyll ine-treated group at 48 h (7083+/-2844 pg/ml, 6463+/-1307 pg/ml, 10329 +/-5571 pg/ml vs 137.5+/-85.5 pg/ml, respectively, P<0.05). The high m ortality observed in the pancreatitis group (43%) was decreased by pen toxifylline administration to 11%. Conclusion: these results demonstra te that pentoxifylline very effectively inhibits cytokine production i n acute pancreatitis.