Healing effect of heparin in the course of acute cerulein-induced pancreatitis

Introduction: Previous experimental studies have shown that pretreatment with heparin inhibits the development of acute pancreatitis, and administration of heparin after development of ischaemia/reperfusion-induced pancreatitis exhibits a therapeutic effect in this disease.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of heparin administration on/ the course of acute pancreatitis evoked by a primary non-vascular mechanism.
Material and methods: The study was performed on Wistar rats. Acute pancreatitis was induced by cerulein. The severity of acute pancreatitis was evaluated between the first and tenth day of inflammation. Heparin was administered subcutaneously twice a day at the dose of 150 U/kg, starting 24 h after cerulein administration.
Results: Treatment with heparin, after the development of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis, significantly reduced plasma activity of lipase and plasma concentration of pro-inflammatory interleukin-1b. These effects were associated with a partial reversion of the pancreatitis-evoked drop in pancreatic DNA synthesis and the improvement of pancreatic blood flow. The activated partial thromboplastin time was prolonged, whereas plasma level of D-dimer was reduced. Histological features showed faster normalization of pancreatic morphology.
Conclusions: Heparin exhibits a healing effect in the course of oedematous pancreatitis, leading to faster normalization of biochemical markers of acute pancreatitis severity, as well as accelerating the pancreatic regeneration.