Nitric oxide contributes to multiorgan oxidative stress in acute experimental pancreatitis.
BACKGROUND
Nitric oxide is a highly reactive free radical gas. The study was undertaken to determine the nitric oxide contribution to oxidative stress in acute experimental pancreatitis induced in Wistar rats.


METHODS
Acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis was induced in male Wistar rats by means of a retrograde intraductal injection of 5% Na-taurocholate. The rats were treated with the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (0.25 mg/kg), or with N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (10 mg/kg), which is an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. We measured malondialdehyde and sulphhydryl group concentrations in pancreatic, lung, and liver tissue.


RESULTS
In rats with acute pancreatitis treated with SNP, oxidative stress, expressed by malondialdehyde increase and sulphhydryl group depletion, was much more pronounced than in the other groups. In contrast, intensity of the oxidative stress was significantly reduced in rats treated with L-NAME.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that nitric oxide is partly responsible for oxidative stress in acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis.
Dabrowski
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Dept. of Gastroenterology, University Medical School, Bialystok, Poland.
Gabryelewicz
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A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D009599:Nitroprusside; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001120:Arginine; D000681:Amylases; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester