Protective effect of a protein-free diet in acute experimental pancreatitis.

1. Surgical time, amylase activiry and pancreatic protein, DNA and RNA content were measured in 38 control rats and in 104 rats injected with sodium taurocholate to induced acute pancreatitis after 21 days on one of four diets differing in protein, lipid and carbohidrate cocnent. 2. All of the parameters measured were lower in rats with pancreatitis than in controls maintained on thes same diets. Among the rats with pancreatitis, those reciving a protein-free survived longer and had significantly higher DNA, lower amylase activity and lower RNA and protein levels than those reciving a balanced diet or one that was high in protein or lipid content. 3. We conclude that acute pancratitis in rats has a more benign course in protein-undernourished animals (AU)