Modifications of the enzymatic content and morphology of the exocrine pancreas of rats with experimental hepatic cirrhosis induced by thioacetamide

: In order to assess the experimental level of enzymatic content in exocrine pancreas of cirrhotic rats, cirrhosis was induced with administration of thioacetamide (50 mg/kg) during ten weeks to male Wistar rats with an initial average weight of 350 g. Contents of amylase, lipase and trypsinogen were determined in pancreatic tissues and amylase, lipase and biliary salts in duodenal juice obtained by cannulation and perfusion with physiologic serum. A higher presence of trypsinogen and amylase was detected in pancreatic tissues, and of lipase in the duodenal juice, with a trend, although insignificant, towards a decrease in biliary salts among the cirrhotic group. No changes were observed in the morphologic study. The hypothesis that a deficit of biliary salts in experimental cirrhosis could be responsible of the enzymatic increase in the pancreatic tissue and, in particular, of the selective excretion of lipase, is discussed.