On the successful treatment of pancreatitis with chlorophyll-a and inhibitory effects of its derivatives on trypsin and other protease activitiesin vitro

Summary

Patients with pancreatitis, in particular with chronic relapsing pancreatitis have recently been experienced by the authors, in which chlorophyll-a intravenously administered showed a marked therapeutic effect. Both fever and abdominal colicky pain were relieved shortly, and remarkably high levels of amylase activity in their urine returned to normal, after administration.

In a series ofin vitro experiments performed, it has been proved that chlorophyllin (a phytol group is removed from chlorophyll-a) exhibited an inhibitory effect on trypsin activity at the minimum concentration of 5×l0^-6M, and 50 per cent inhibition was seen at 9×10^-5M.

On some other proteases, such as pepsin, α-chymotrypsin and kallikrein except for elastase, a more or less inhibition was also shown.

Chlorophyll-a exerted, however, no effect at all,in vitro.

Derivatives of chlorophyllin in which Fe, Co, Cu or Zn are chelated in place of its Mg, also showed a similar effect, while phytochlorin losing its metal from chlorophyllin, showed only a slight inhibition.

From these it is most likely that chlorophyll-a is a prospective agent for treating pancreatitis, particularly chronic relapsing pancreatitis, in which even a long-term administration is to be needed, because it has no antigenicity in nature.