“Obesity is a risk factor for increased severity of acute pancreatitis.
Adipocytes produce adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory molecule that is paradoxically decreased in the setting of obesity. We have shown that adiponectin concentration inversely mirrors the severity of pancreatitis in obese mice.
Cannabinoid receptor CB-1 blockade increases circulating adiponectin concentration. We, therefore, hypothesize that blockade of CB-1 would increase adiponectin and attenuate pancreatitis severity.
Rimonabant treatment significantly increased circulating adiponectin concentration in obese mice.
In obese mice, cannabinoid receptor CB-1 blockade with rimonabant attenuates the severity of acute pancreatitis by an adiponectin-mediated mechanism.”