Original Article Gastroenterology Research • 2009;2:20-28 Protective Effects of Proanthocyanidin on Cerulein-induced Acute Pancreatic Inflammation in Rats

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the possible pro-tective effect of proanthocyanidin against cerulein-induced acute pancreatic inflammation (AP) and oxidative injury. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with proanthocy-anidine (100 mg/kg, orally) or saline 15 min before cerulein was given 20 µg/kg injection at 1-h intervals within 4 hours. Six hours after cerulein or saline injections, the animals were killed by decap-itation. Blood samples were collected to analyze amylase, lipase, and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β). Pancreas tis-sues were taken for the determination of tissue glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, Na+, K+-ATPase and myelo-peroxidase (MPO) activities. Formation of reactive oxygen species in pancreatic tissue samples was monitored by using chemilumines-cence (CL) technique with luminol and lucigenin probes, while the extent of tissue injury was analyzed microscopically. Results: Acute pancreatitis caused a significant decrease in tissue GSH level and Na+, K+-ATPase activity, which was accompanied with significant increases in the pancreatic MDA, luminol and luci-genin chemiluminescences (CL) levels and MPO activity. Similarly TNF-α and IL-1β levels were elevated in the pancreatic group as compared to control group. On the other hand, proanthocyanidin treatment reversed all these biochemical indices, as well as histo-pathological alterations that were induced by cerulein. Conclusions: Proanthocyanidine can ameliorate pancreatic injury induced by cerulein in rats, this result suggests that proanthocyani din may have utility in treating acute pancreatititis