Effect of pancreatin on acute pancreatitis resulting from L-arginine administration in mice, a morpho-histopathological and biochemical study

Abstract Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a life-unpleasant situation with contradictory and inadequate treatments. In this regard, the present study evaluated the effect of the possible pretreatment of lipase-pancreatin on L-arginine-induced AP. Forty adult mice were selected and divided into five groups: I) control group, II and III) AP groups (i.p.) receiving L-arginine of 2×300 and 2×400 mg/100 g body weight (b.w.), IV) AP (2×300 L-arginine) group + pancreatin (mice were i.p. injected by 350 U-lipase), and V) AP (2×400 L-arginine) group + pancreatin (mice were i.p. injected by 350 U-lipase). All AP groups displayed a significant increase in serum levels of ALT, AST, TBARS, and TNF-alpha compared to the control group. Moreover, pancreatic tissue edema, inflammation, and vacuolization of acinar cells were significantly higher in the untreated L-arginine group compared to the control and pancreatin groups. Conversely, the diameter of pancreatic islets significantly declined after induction of pancreatitis compared with control and pancreatin groups. Pancreatin treatment can be used in pancreatic dysfunction, however, this medicine showed no protective effect against L-arginine-induced AP in the mouse model.

Recomendaciones para el uso de agentes biológicos en psoriasis / Recommendations for the use of biological agents in psoriasis

La psoriasis es una enfermedad crónica que afecta al 1%-2% de la población, produce importante deterioro de la calidad de vida y puede asociarse a complicaciones metabólicas y articulares severas. Existen múltiples agentes sistémicos para el manejo de los casos moderado-severos; sin embargo, la mayoría no puede utilizarse de manera continua o prolongada y los estudios han demostrado que un alto porcentaje de pacientes está disconforme con sus tratamientos. Los agentes biológicos representan una poderosa herramienta en el tratamiento de la psoriasis; no obstante, los riesgos asociados y sus costos hacen necesario restringir su uso. Debido a estas consideraciones, diferentes sociedades dermatológicas en el mundo han desarrollado guías clínicas de consenso para el manejo de estos agentes en psoriasis. El presente artículo resume las recomendaciones de las sociedades Alemana (2007), Americana (2008), Española (2009) y Británica (2009) de Dermatología y los principales ensayos clínicos de cada uno de los agentes biológicos disponibles para el tratamiento de la psoriasis, y pretende entregar algunas directrices para la utilización de estos agentes en el medio nacional.

Psoriasis is a chronic disease that affects 1%-2% of the population, causes serious deterioration in the quality of life and may be associated with severe metabolic and joint complications. There are numerous systemic agents for the management of moderate-severe cases, however, most of them cannot be used in a continuous or prolonged way, and studies have shown a high percentage of dissatisfaction with those treatments. Biologics represent a powerful tool in the treatment of psoriasis, however, associated risks and costs make it necessary to restrict their use. Because of this, different dermatological societies around the world have developed clinical guidelines for the management of these agents in psoriasis. This article summarizes the recommendations of the German (2007), American (2008), Spanish (2009) and British (2009) Dermatology Societies, as well as the main clinical trials of biologics for the treatment of Psoriasis, and attempts to provide some guidelines for the use of these agents in our country.