N-乙酰半胱氨酸对大鼠重症急性胰腺炎肝损伤的抑制作用

Progress in research of liver injury induced by acute biliary pancreatitis

Acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) not only causes acute inflammation of the pancreas, but also leads to obstruction or infection of the biliary system. Liver injury is one of the most common complications of ABP. The pathological mechanisms mainly include infection and endotoxin, cholestasis, pancreatic enzyme damage, microcirculatory disorders, and oxidative stress, and the research conclusions are mostly derived from animal experiments. On the basis of routine medical treatment of ABP, active anti-infective treatment and rapid relief of biliary obstruction can promote the recovery of ABP-related liver injury.

Treatment with Xuebijing injection decreases serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in rats with acute pancreatitis

AIM: To investigate the relationship between serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 and severity of pancreatic tissue injury and to investigate the possible mechanism by which Xuebijing relieves inflammatory responses in rats with acute pancreatitis (AP).

METHODS: Ninety male SD rats were randomly and equally divided into three groups: control group, AP model group, and treatment group. The rats in the AP model group and treatment group received two intraperitoneal injections of L-arginine (3.2 g/kg body weight) at an interval of 1 h to induce AP. At 6, 12 and 24 h after AP induction, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were determined by ELISA, and pathological changes in pancreatic tissue were scored.

RESULTS: Serum concentration of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 at 6, 12 and 24 h in the AP model group were significantly higher than those in the control group (TNF-α: t = 17.72, 11.19, 13.70, all P = 0.00; IL-1β: t = 9.61, 8.69, 8.08, all P = 0.00; IL-6: t = 29.18, 18.59, 17.14, all P = 0.00). Pathological scores of pancreatic tissue at 6, 12 and 24 h in the AP model group were significantly higher than those in the control group (t = 17.23, 18.72, 16.08, all P = 0.00). Compared to the AP model group , treatment with Xuebijing injection significantly decreased serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 at 12 and 24 h (TNF-α: t = 7.56, 7.30, P = 0.001, 0.00; IL-1β: t = 8.76, 8.07; both P = 0.00; IL-6: t = 7.82, 6.72, both P = 0.00) and pathological scores of pancreatic tissue at 24 h (t = 2.79, P = 0.015).

CONCLUSION: Xuebijing injection is effective in attenuating pancreatic tissue injury in rats with AP via mechanisms possibly associated with decreasing serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6.

Protective effect of Jinhuangyidan Granules on liver injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of Jinhuangyidan Granules on liver injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and to explore the possible mechanisms involved.

METHODS: Fifty-four male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham operation group, SAP group and Jinhuangyidan Granules group. Each group was further divided into three subgroups for testing at different time points after treatment (2, 6 and 12 h). SAP was induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into the biliary pancreatic duct. Serum amylase (AMY), ALT, AST and the liver coefficient were measured. The levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and ET-1 were examined by ELISA, and the expression of NF-κB in the liver was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS: Compared to the sham operation group, the levels of AMY, ALT, AST, TNF-α, IL-6, ET-1 and NF-κB increased significantly in the SAP group. The liver coefficient also differed significantly between the sham operation group and SAP group at 6 and 12 h (both P < 0.05). Compared to the SAP group at 6 and 12 h, the levels of AMY, ALT, AST, TNF-α, IL-6, ET-1 and NF-κB decreased significantly in the Jinhuangyidan Granules group (all P < 0.05). At 6 h, the expression of liver NF-κB was significantly higher in the SAP group than in the sham operation group at 6 and 12 h (6 h: 49.89 ± 3.53 vs 5.32 ± 0.24; 12 h: 54.73 ± 1.68 vs 6.38 ± 0.24, both P < 0.05), but was significantly lower in the Jinhuangyidan Granules group than in the SAP group (6 h: 19.18 ± 1.51 vs 49.89 ± 3.53; 31.15 ± 2.25 vs 54.73 ± 1.68, both P < 0.05). Compared to the SAP group, the levels of edema and inflammatory mediators ameliorated significantly in the Jinhuangyidan Granules group.

CONCLUSION: Jinhuangyidan Granules ameliorates liver injury and improve microcirculation in SAP rats possibly by inhibiting NF-κB activity and down-regulating inflammatory mediators.