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We have revised the literature data on the various substances having antioxidant properties used to cure acute pancreatitis. We have also evaluated the data according to two main topics: the effects of antioxidant substances in experimental studies and the effects of antioxidant substances in human acute pancreatitis. At present, the only convincing data on the benefits of antioxidant treatment in acute pancreatitis comes from the studies on animals in whom the experimental variables are well defined and do not change overtime. In human studies, the benefits of antioxidants are still not convincing due to limited number of the patients studied. Finally, we need to know which antioxidant substances should be used and their optimal dosage. Further clinical randomized controlled trials need to be carried out before the use of antioxidants can be recommended for human acute pancreatitis. Some patents relevant to treatment of acute pancreatitis have also been reviewed in this article. © 2014 Bentham Science Publishers.

SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The occurrence of maldigestion and malnutrition was studied in 14 patients who had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy and occlusion of the Wirsung duct with Neoprene®. Before discharge patients were put on a 70 g/day dietary fat intake. Mean faecal fat excretion was 32·9 g/day without enzyme replacement and fell to 14·2 g/day with pancrelipase supplementation. At discharge all patients were underweight (88 per cent of the usual mean body‐weight) and nine patients showed alteration in laboratory nutritional parameters. At the time of discharge a low‐fat diet (50 g/day) was prescribed. Six months after surgery, mean faecal fat excretion decreased further to 8·3 g/day (P < 0·01) and all patients but one gained weight, reaching 93 per cent of the usual mean body‐weight with normalized nutritional parameters. Our data show that the combination of enzyme replacement therapy and low‐fat diet allows good correction of steatorrhoea and a significant improvement in nutritional status.