ABSTRACT
CONCLUSION: Production of excited oxygen species is earlier in the liver than in the pancreas and could contribute to damage in a reflux model. Treatment with SOD could attenuate 59% light emission in pancreas, but did not modify serum enzyme levels or pancreatic edema, resulting as an insufficient isolated therapy. Unexpectedly, it was found an increased plasma antioxidant capacity that was related to total bilirubin levels, and declined at late stages probably denoting other circulating antioxidant consumption. BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress has been shown to play a role in different models of acute pancreatitis, although it has not been studied in the severe necrohemorrhagic model produced by closed duodenal loop pancreatitis. METHODS: We studied Sprague Dawley female rats in two groups: a closed duodenal loop pancreatitis group and a control, sham-operated group. In order to evidence the oxygen excited species production, in situ spontaneous chemiluminescence from living and naturally perfused pancreas and liver was measured at 0, 0.5, 1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after the duodenal ligature. Blood pancreatic amylase and aminotransferases levels were determined as expression of tissue damage in pancreas and liver. At the same time, plasma antioxidant capacity was measured by the peroxyl radical trapping capability of plasma samples compared to that of Trolox (synthetic analog of vitamin E), and results are expressed as Trolox equivalence. Bovine superoxide dismutase (SOD) was administered to attenuate oxygen free radicals activity at the beginning of the peroxidation chain and also as a therapeutic tool. RESULTS: The experimental procedure induced a severe pancreatitis, as evidenced by pancreatic enzymes that rose markedly in the early hours of disease and remained heightened throughout the experiment. The results show early light emission from the liver at 3 h and peak levels at 12 h, whereas in the pancreas, luminescence increased at 6 h and doubled later at 12 h, both returning to control levels at 24 h.