The Influence of Glucagon on Acute Experimental Pancreatitis in the Rat

Abstract

Lankisch, P. G., Winckler, K., Bokermann, M., Schmidt, H. & Creutzfeldt. W. The influence of glucagon on acute experimental pancreatitis in the rat. Scand. J. Gastroent. 1974, 9. 725–729.

The significance of the beneficial effects of glucagon therapy reported in acute human pancreatitis was investigated in experimental pancreatitis in the rat. Subcutaneous glucagon injections (3 × 0.24 mg) over 18 hours decreased pancreatic enzyme activités to levels between 10.9–38.8% of those of controls. Neither pretreatment nor treatment with glucagon decreased the mortality rate of pancreatitis after injection of olive oil or Na-taurocholate into the pancreatic duct of rats. Glucagon also had no effect upon the development of ascites, fat necrosis, pancreas necrosis, oedema, and leucocyte infiltration. Only the serum amylase and lipase were lower in the glucagon-pretreated and treated groups compared with controls 6 hours after the induction of oil-induced pancreatitis.

Key-words::

• Experimental pancreatitis
• glucagon
• mortality rate
• pancreatic enzyme depletion
• serum enzymes