Prostaglandin release in canine acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis.

Acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis was induced in greyhound dogs by a bile salt/trypsin injection into the main pancreatic duct. Prostaglandin-like activity in the pancreatic venous blood, right atrial blood, and arterial blood was measured by bioassay. Activity rose significantly in the pancreatic venous blood of test dogs but not in controls. Chromatographic analysis of the peritoneal exudate from the dogs with pancreatitis showed high levels of prostaglandin E-like material (mean 43 ng/ml prostaglandin E2 equivalents). It seems likely that prostaglandins contribute to the induced pancreatitis.