The effect of platelet activating factor antagonist (BN 52021) on acute experimental pancreatitis with reference to...

Acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis was induced in Wistar rats using a retrograde intraductal injection of 5% Na-taurocholate. Rats were treated with platelet-activating factor receptor (PAF) antagonist--BN 52021 (5 mg/kg) and sacrificed at 1 and 3 h after induction of acute pancreatitis. Malondialdehyde and sulfhydryl groups concentration were measured in pancreatic, lung, and liver tissue as a parameter of oxidant-antioxidant balance. We have shown that BN 52021 exerts only partial protecting effect against Na-TC-induced AP in rats. The positive effects of BN 52021 were expressed by: (1) Significant reduction of hyperamylasemia accompanied by lower malondialdehyde accumulation in pancreatic tissue; (2) Prevention of sulflhydryl groups depletion in lung tissue; (3) Diminution of necrotic and inflammatory changes in pancreatic tissue; and (4) Improvement of survival rate. We suggest that these effects may depend on the inhibition of PAF-mediated activation and oxidant generation by phagocytes.