Context: Some authors have found beneficial effect of statins in certain inflammatory conditions, but the effect of statins on acute pancreatitis is not yet defined.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of simvastatin on an experimental model of mild and severe acute pancreatitis.
Animals: One hundred and one Wistar rats with cerulein or taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis were used in this study.
Design: The rats were divided into two groups: Group I (n=51) received two previously i.p. injections (18+/-2 and 3+/-1 hours) of simvastatin (200 microg/kg) and Group II (n=50) received two previously i.p. injections of saline. Both groups were subdivided into two subgroups: mild pancreatitis (cerulein-induced; IA, n=10; IIA, n=10) and severe pancreatitis (taurocholate-induced; IB, n=41; IIB, n=40).
Main outcome measures: The parameters evaluated were: pancreatic vascular permeability, tissue water content, histologic lesion, amylase serum levels in rats with mild pancreatitis (subgroups A); mortality rate, serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, amylase, pulmonary myeloperoxidase activity and ascitic levels of TNF-alpha in rats with severe pancreatitis (subgroups B).
Results: Serum levels of IL-10 were significantly lower in the simvastatin-treated group as well as the myeloperoxidase activity. There was no significant difference in any of other studied parameters.
Conclusion: Simvastatin appears to reduce inflammatory cytokines and pulmonary neutrophilic activation in the severe acute pancreatitis model, but there is no significant effect on survival curve, in spite of a clear trend towards a better survival in the simvastatin group.