RESUMO
This study was done to investigate the effect of propanolol [inderal] on the exocrine pancreas of rats. Ten adult male sparague-Dawley rats were used. Five rats were used as control and the other five were injected daily i.p. with propanolol in a dose of 0.01 mg/100 of rat body weight for 5 weeks. Animals were sacrificed, and the pancreas was fixed in formalin and gluteraldehyde for light and electron microscopic examination. The propanolol-treated pancreas showed marked fibrous thickening of the capsule and connective tissue septa. Vascular changes, acinar disruption and ductular proliferation were also evident. The ultrastructural picture of the propanolol treated acini showed dilatation and vesiculation of the rER. Zymogen granules of medium density, widening of the acinar lumen and decreasing numbers of projecting microvilli were apparent. In conclusion the ischemia induced by propanolol injection resulted in pancreatitis of the treated rats