Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory condition of the pancreas following the activated
pancreatic enzymes induced by varied causes, with or without other organ(s) dysfunction. The
production and release of inflammatory factors is generally considered as the key factor of
pathogenesis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly applied
agents for inflammatory diseases. A series studies have proved that indomethacin can reduce
the risk of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), but high-quality
evidence is still lacking in the field of effectiveness of NSAIDs to treat, rather than
prevent, other types of AP. Majority of animal experiments showed that NSAIDs had protective
effects for organ functions, but the results of several preliminary clinical studies were
inconsistent. Randomized controlled trials are eagerly awaited to elucidate its effects on
AP.