The Role of Leucoyte-Derived Free Oxygen Radicals in the Pathogenesis of Experimental Acute Pancreatitis

The role of free oxygen radicals in experimental acute pancreatitis induced by common bile duct ligation was investigated by measuring malondialdehyde levels in the rat pancreas. Also, the potential role of leucocytes as the source of free oxygen radicals was tested by inducing leukopenia with methotrexate. The malondialdehyde levels in the control, pancreatitis and pancreatitis + methotrexate groups were 9.6 +/- 2.0, 44.8 +/- 11.4, and 25.6 +/- 5.0 nmol malondialdehyde/ g pancreas tissue respectively. The corresponding histopathological severity scores were 0.5 +/- 0.7, 8.1 +/- 1.2 and 3.7 +/- 1.1. The results suggest that the leucocyte may be an important source of free oxygen radicals in this experimental model.