Relationships among iron, protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation levels in rats with alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis.

It has been previously shown that alcohol induces the damage of pancreatic parenchyma tissue, but the mechanism of this damage is still poorly understood. Assuming that oxygen radical damage may be the involved, we measured markers of oxidative damage in pancreatic tissue, blood serum, plasma, and whole blood of rats with early-stage alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis. Thirty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: the control group (group 1), the acute pancreatitis group 1 day (group 2), and 3 days (group 3) after the injection of ethyl alcohol into the common biliary duct, respectively. The levels of Fe in tissue and serum, whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen and homocysteine (Hcy) levels, erythrocyte and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), and tissue and plasma protein carbonyl levels were found to be significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 than in group 1. However, the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) in tissue and erythrocytes were significantly lower in groups 2 and 3 than in group 1. These results suggest that elevated Fe levels in serum and pancreatic tissue in rats with early-stage alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis is associated with various hemorheological changes and with oxidative damage of the pancreas.