Do the effects of pentoxifylline on the inflammatory process and pancreatic infection justify its use in acute pancreatitis?
Severe acute pancreatitis is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. At the present time, no specific therapy has been shown to be uniformly effective in reducing morbidity and mortality in this disease. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of pentoxifylline on the pancreatic and systemic inflammatory process, pancreatic infection, and mortality rate in severe acute pancreatitis in rats.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: sham, pancreatitis, and pentoxifylline (acute pancreatitis induction plus administration of 25 mg/kg pentoxifylline). Inflammatory response was measured by histological studies, inflammatory cytokine production (IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-alpha), and mortality rate. Pancreatic infection was evaluated by bacterial cultures expressed in colony-forming units per gram.


RESULTS
Pentoxifylline-treated animals had a statistically significant reduction of inflammatory cytokine levels, pancreatic histological damage, occurrence of bacterial translocation and pancreatic infection (p < 0.05), associated with a significant reduction in mortality rate.


CONCLUSIONS
Pentoxifylline administration in this experimental model of acute pancreatitis reduces local and systemic inflammatory responses and decreases the pancreatic infection and the mortality rate.
Matheus
Andre Siqueira
AS
Department of Gastroenterology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. asmatheus@hotmail.com
Coelho
Ana Maria M
AM
Sampietre
Sandra
S
Jukemura
Jose
J
Patzina
Rosely A
RA
Cunha
Jose Eduardo Monteiro
JE
Machado
Marcel Cerqueira Cesar
MC
D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D016207:Cytokines; D010431:Pentoxifylline