ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) on the function of the vital organs in rats with pancreatitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Acute pancreatitis (AP) was induced in 30 male SD rats by ductal injection of 4% sodium taurocholate at 1.0 ml/kg. The rats received subsequent intravenously injection of 0.3 mg/kg of PPARgamma ligand (rosiglitazone, n=10), PPARgamma antagonist (GW9662, n=10) followed 10 min later by rosiglitazone administration at 0.3 mg/kg, or left untreated (AP model group, n=10). Another 10 male SD rats receiving no particular treatment served as the control group. The rats were sacrificed 6 h after the operation, and blood samples were collected for measurement of the biochemical indices of the vital organs. The histological changes of the pancreas and portal vein blood endotoxin content were examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rats in AP group and GW9662 group showed significantly higher level of the biochemical indices for the vital organs, pathological scores of the pancreas and portal vein blood endotoxin content were significantly higher in the control group and roglitazone-treated groups (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PPARgamma ligand roglitazone can significantly ameliorate multiple organ injuries and effectively protect the functions of the organs in rats with experimental pancreatitis.</p>