Use of infliximab in treatment of acute pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigating the effects of infliximab in severe necrotizing pancreatitis. METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups evenly. Necrotizing pancreatitis was induced in group I and II by retrograde injection of 3% taurocholate into common pancreaticobiliary duct. In group III and IV saline was introduced instead of taurocholate to mimic pressure effect. Infliximab (8mg/kg) was infused through tail vein in group I and III and saline was infused in group II and IV just before laparotomy. Group V underwent sham laparotomy. Serum amylase activity, serum and tissue sialic acid, carbonyl content, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant activity (TAA) and pancreatic histopathology were assessed. RESULTS: In group I serum sialic acid, malondialdehyde, carbonyl content and amylase activity were significantly lower than in group II (p<0.01). There were no significant differences for serum TAA between group I and II (p>0.05). Tissue sialic acid and malondialdehyde in group I were significantly lower than in group II (p<0.01). But tissue TAA in group I was significantly higher than in group II (p<0.01). Carbonyl content of group I was not significantly different from group II (p>0.05). Histopathologically, pancreatic sections of group II demonstrated extensive acinar and fat necrosis, hemorrhage, and inflammation. In group I Infliximab improved histopathological changes (p0.05). CONCLUSION: Administration of infliximab resulted in a significant improvement in biochemical and histopathological alterations in acute necrotizing pancreatitis(Tab. 3, Ref. 43).