Alpha-lipoic acid protects against cholecystokinin-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) has been used as an antioxidant. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of alpha-lipoic acid on cholecystokinin (CCK)-octapeptide induced acute pancreatitis in rats.


METHODS
ALA at 1 mg/kg was intra-peritoneally injected, followed by 75 microg/kg CCK-octapeptide injected thrice subcutaneously after 1, 3, and 5 h. This whole procedure was repeated for 5 d. We checked the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio, the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the levels of lipase, amylase of serum. Repeated CCK octapeptide treatment resulted in typical laboratory and morphological changes of experimentally induced pancreatitis.


RESULTS
ALA significantly decreased the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio and serum amylase and lipase in CCK octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis. However, the secretion of IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were comparable in CCK octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis.


CONCLUSIONS
ALA may have a protective effect against CCK octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis.
Park
Sung-Joo
SJ
Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University #1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, South Korea.
Seo
Sang-Wan
SW
Choi
Ok-Sun
OS
Park
Cheung-Seog
CS
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000517:prevention & control; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008063:Thioctic Acid; D002766:Cholecystokinin