Prostaglandin E2 and I2 treatment of acute experimental pancreatitis in rats

Acute pancreatitis can be induced experimentally in rats by the retrograde pancreatic duct injection of deoxycholic acid. In order to evaluate if prostaglandins have a protective or therapeutic role, pancreatitis was induced with 0.03, 0.1, or 0.2 ml of 3% deoxycholic acid. Then, 16,16 dimethyl prostaglandin E2 or prostaglandin I2 were infused i.v. for 30 min before the deoxycholic acid injection or for 1 or 24 h beginning 30 min or 1 h after the injection. Deoxycholic acid, 0.1 and 0.2 ml, produced an 80-100% mortality at 24 h after the induction of pancreatitis, and prostaglandin administration had no appreciable effect. Induction of pancreatitis with 0.03 ml deoxycholic acid was associated with a 15% mortality at 24 h, and both prostaglandins significantly increased the mortality. In the experimental model of pancreatitis tested, the administration of exogenous PGI2 and 16,16 dimethyl PGE2 significantly worsened the outcome.