Melatonin reduces lipid peroxidation and tissue edema in cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.

摘要: Since oxygen free radicals and lipidperoxidation have been implicated in the pathogenesis ofan early stage of acute pancreatitis, we examinedwhether melatonin, a recently discovered free-radicalscavenger, could attenuate pancreatic injury inSprague-Dawley rats with cerulein-induced pancreatitis.Acute pancreatitis was induced by four intraperitonealinjections cerulein (50 μg/kg body wt) given at1-hr intervals. Thirty minutes after lastcerulein injection, were killed degreeof edema, level lipid peroxidation inthe pancreas, serum amylase activity increased significantly. Pretreatment melatonin (10or 50 mg/kg 30 min before each ceruleininjection resulted significant reduction inpancreatic edema levels peroxidation.Serum activity, however, notsignificantly influenced either dose melatonin.Moreover, found that administration wasassociated stomach as well high oflipid smallintestine, which also reduced melatonin.Melatonin's protective effects cerulein-treated ratspresumably relate to its radical scavenging ability andto other antioxidative processes bymelatonin.