Effect of platelet-activating factor antagonists (BN-52021, WEB-2170, and BB-882) on bacterial translocation in acute pancreatitis.

Bacterial translocation is an important source of pancreas infection in acute pancreatitis. The effect of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis has been proved in various studies. The aim of this study was to determine whether potent PAF antagonists influence bacterial translocation in acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis was induced in 62 Wistar rats by injection of 2.5% sodium taurocholate into the biliopancreatic duct. The rats treated with PAF factor antagonists received intravenous injection of WEB-2170 (10 mg/kg), lexipafant (5 mg/kg), and BN-52021 (5 mg/kg) 30 minutes before induction of acute pancreatitis. Six hours after induction of acute pancreatitis, bacteriologic cultures and histologic scoring of tissues were performed. There was a statistically significant reduction in bacterial translocation to the mesenteric lymph nodes and liver but not to the pancreas of the rats treated with PAF antagonists. No significant increase in the intestinal bacterial population of any group was found. There were no statistical differences between the pancreatic histologic scores of the groups. PAF antagonists reduced bacterial translocation to distant sites other than the pancreas, preventing the bacterial dissemination that occurs in the early phase of acute pancreatitis and may have beneficial effects on the evolution of this disease.