Protective and therapeutic effects of Danhong injection on acute pancreatitis‑associated lung injury

Protective effect of taurine on sepsis‑induced lung injury via inhibiting the p38/MAPK signaling pathway

Sepsis, a leading cause of acute lung injury (ALI), is characterized by an overwhelming systemic inflammatory response and widespread organ injury, particularly in the lungs. Taurine, an intracellular free amino acid, has been used for the treatment of various diseases, including lung injury; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of taurine on septic ALI and the underlying mechanism. A septic ALI model was established by performing cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery on Sprague Dawley rats. Following successful model establishment, rats were treated with taurine. The results of hematoxylin and eosin, respiratory function detection, malondialdehyde level and superoxide dismutase activity determination and ELSIA demonstrated that taurine significantly alleviated lung injury, restored respiratory function, reduced oxidation and decreased the concentrations of inflammatory factors in CLP‑induced septic ALI model rats. In addition, compared with that in the ALI group, western blotting results indicated that taurine ameliorated lung epithelial injury by significantly increasing the expression levels of lung epithelial markers, E‑cadherin and occludin. The western blotting results demonstrated that, compared with the control group, the p38/MAPK and NF‑κB signaling pathways were significantly activated in CLP‑induced septic ALI model rats, but taurine significantly suppressed ALI‑mediated signaling pathway activation. To investigate the mechanism underlying taurine in the treatment of septic ALI, CLP‑induced septic ALI model rats were treated with an antagonist of the p38/MAPK signaling pathway (SB203580). The effects of SB203580 on CLP‑induced septic ALI model rats were similar to those of taurine. SB203580 significantly attenuated sepsis‑induced lung injury and increases in IL‑1β and TNF‑α concentrations in the lung tissue. In addition, SB203580 promoted restoration of the injured lung tissue and respiratory function in CLP‑induced septic ALI model rats. The western blotting results indicated that SB203580 significantly decreased the ratios of phosphorylated (p)‑p38/p38 and p‑p65/065, and increased the protein expression levels of E‑cadherin and occludin compared with those in the ALI group. In summary, the present study demonstrated that taurine alleviated sepsis‑induced lung injury, which was associated with suppression of the inflammatory response and oxidative stress via inhibiting the p38/MAPK signaling pathway. Therefore, the p38/MAPK signaling pathway may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of sepsis‑induced ALI.

Drug discovery and formulation development for acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation and only last for a short time, but might lead to a life-threatening emergency. Traditional drug therapy is an essential supportive method for acute pancreatitis treatment, yet, failed to achieve satisfactory therapeutic outcomes. To date, it is still challenging to develop therapeutic medicine to redress the intricate microenvironment promptly in the inflamed pancreas, and more importantly, avoid multi-organ failure. The understanding of the acute pancreatitis, including the causes, mechanism, and severity judgment, could help the scientists bring up more effective intervention and treatment strategies. New formulation approaches have been investigated to precisely deliver therapeutics to inflammatory lesions in the pancreas, and some even could directly attenuate the pancreatic damages. In this review, we will briefly introduce the involved pathogenesis and underlying mechanisms of acute pancreatitis, as well as the traditional Chinese medicine and the new drug option. Most of all, we will summarize the drug delivery strategies to reduce inflammation and potentially prevent the further development of pancreatitis, with an emphasis on the bifunctional nanoparticles that act as both drug delivery carriers and therapeutics.