Objective: To investigate the change and potential significance of adipokine in the rat of acute pancreatitis. Methods:Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group,sham operation group,acute edematous pancreatitis (AEP) group and acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) group. AEP model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of cerulein and ANP model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of L-arginine while the control group didn’t receive anything,the sham operation group received same volume of 0.9% normal saline injected. The level of amylase,resistin,leptin,adiponectin,TNF--琢,IL-1β in rats blood serum were determined by ELISA,and pancreas/body weight ratio was evaluated and pancreatic pathology was observed. Results: The levels of amylase,pancreas/body weight ratio,pancreatic pathology,resistin,leptin,TNF--琢 and IL-1β in AEP group and ANP group were significantly higher than those in the control group and the sham operation group(P < 0.01),which in ANP group were higher than those in AEP group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The levels of adiponectin in both AEP and ANP group were (3.26 ± 0.68),(2.27 ± 0.45) mg/L,respectively,which were significantly lower than those in the control and sham operation group(P < 0.01),it was lower in ANP group than in AEP group (P < 0.05). The level of resistin was correlated with the increase of TNF--琢,IL-1-茁 and the pathologic severity of pancreatitis(r = 0.711,0.794,0.812,respectively,P < 0.01). The level of leptin was correlated with the increase of TNF--琢,IL-1β and the pathologic severity of pancreatitis(r = 0.736,0.812,0.785,respectively,P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). But the level of adiponectin was correlated with the decrease of TNF--琢,IL-1β and the pathologic severity of pancreatitis(r = -0.796,-0.809,-0.788,respectively, P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Conclusion: The adipokine was correlated with the pathogenesis and development of acute pancreatitis. The adipokine may be useful to predict the severity and prognosis of acute pancreatitis. The increased levels of resistin and leptin may act to aggravate the severity of acute pancreatitis. But the increased levels of adiponectin may act to protect the severity of acute pancreatitis.