Abstract: Objectives To study whether sodium nitroprusside may protect the ischemia-reperfusion injury in pancreata by measuring oxygen free radicals following hepatic blood-supply blockage in rabbits with portal hypertension. Method Twenty four rabbits were randomly divided into three groups, which were treated with sodium nitroprusside (S)，N-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L), and normal solution (C) respectively. Oxygen free radicals in pancreatic tissues, which had been taken 60 minutes after reperfusion following portal vein occlusion, were measured. Results Compared with group C, group S had no significant changes in nitric oxide synthase (NOS), but had significantly increased nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and adenosine-triphosphatase (ATPase), and had remarkably reduced malondialdehyde (MDA). By contrast, compared with those in group C, NO, SOD, NOS, and ATPase in group L were significantly reduced, and MDA was obviously increased. Conclusion Sodium nitroprusside protects the ischemia-reperfusion injury in pancreata after hepatic blood-supply blockage.

Key words: Ischemia-reperfusion injury, Sodium nitroprusside, Hepatic blood-supply blockage, Pancreata, Portal hypertension