Therapeutic Effect of L-Carnitine on Acute Pancreatitis Induced by L-Arginine in Rats: Possible Role of Beclin Gene and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase

Abstract
Background: Acute Pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by a severe inflammation, associated with premature activation of pancreatic digestive enzymes, cytoplasmic vacuolization, and infiltration of inflammatory cells into the pancreas. Medical therapy remains the principal option for treating AP. However, there is no specific effective drug to treat it.
Aim of Study: This study is an experimental study that evaluates the therapeutic effect of L-carnitine at different doses on l-arginine induced pancreatitis in rats.
Material and Methods: Thirty healthy adult male albino rats were involved in this study. AP was induced by L-arginine at a dose of (200mg/100g intraperitoneal twice at an interval of 1h). L carnitine (100, 300, 500mg/kg) was injected daily intraperitoneally for one week in treatment of acute pancreatitis in rats. The pancreatic injury was assessed using pharmaco-logical, biochemical and histological approaches. We evaluate the systolic blood pressure before and after treatment and pancreas to body weight ratio. Biochemical measurement of serum amylase, pancreatic tissue glutathione and malondal-dehyde, gene expression of Beclin by real time PCR. Also, all groups were examined histopathologically.
Results: Our work revealed that L-arginine injected group showed significant acute pancreatitis biochemically and histopathologically in addition to increased percentage change of systolic blood pressure. While those treated by L-carnitine especially (500mg/kg) showed significant improvement bio-chemically as shown by increased pancreatic tissue glutathione level and decreased pancreatic tissue malondialdehyde level, also decreased gene expression of Beclin that approaches to normal, and histopathologically mainly in area of iNOS which is decreased towards normal.
Conclusion: It is concluded that dose related L-carnitine can have a role of acute pancreatitis treatment not only by its antioxidant effect but also by being inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase and by affection of autophagy which is represented by Beclin gene expression.