MECHANISMS OF THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF HYPERTONIC SALINE SOLUTION IN ACUTE PANCREATITIS.

BACKGROUND/AIMS:: Administration of hypertonic saline (HS) solution to rats with acute pancreatitis (AP) decreases mortality and systemic inflammation. We hypothesized that these effects are relates not only to systemic inflammatory reduction but also to reduction of the pancreatic lesion. METHODS:: AP was induced in Wistar rats by injection of 2.5% sodium taurocholate. Animals were divided in groups: C (without AP), NT (not treated AP), NS (AP treated with NaCl 0.9%), and HS (AP treated with NaCl 7.5%). RESULTS:: Trypsinogen activation peptides (TAP) and amylase activity were increased in ascitic fluid and serum and were not affected by treatment with HS. Pancreas inflammation was evaluated by increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malonyldialdehyde (MDA) formation and histopathology for severity of pancreatic lesions. HS did not affect these parameters. Expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was markedly increased in the pancreas of the AP group and was reduced by treatment with HS. This treatment also reduced the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 but not of IL-10 in the pancreatic tissue. CONCLUSIONS:: These results show that HS modulates cytokines production and expression of enzymes responsible for inflammatory mediators production in the pancreas without affecting the severity of the pancreatic lesions.