The effects of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors on acute necrotising pancreatitis in rats.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of the constitutive nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-Name) and the inducible NO synthase inhibitor amino ethyl-isothiourea (AE-ITU) on acute necrotising pancreatitis (ANP) in rats. DESIGN Laboratory study. SETTING Medical school, Turkey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Morbidity, mortality, effects on activities of various enzymes, and histological picture. RESULTS NO inhibitors increased the mortality (from 8/15, 53%, for ANP plus saline, to 12/15, 80%, for ANP plus L-Name, and 13/15, 87%, for ANP plus AE-ITU and serum amylase activity, but had no effects on serum calcium concentrations, volume of ascites, or degree of pancreatic damage. L-Name caused hypoglycemia, and AE-ITU reduced activities of lactate dehydrogenase and liver transaminases, and concentrations of urea and creatinine. CONCLUSIONS Constitutive NO synthase inhibition worsens the course of ANP, and inducible NO inhibition has beneficial effects on various systems.