Effects of Radix Paeoniae Rubra decoction on the expression of cvtokines in rats with acute pancreatitis / 中华急诊医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the therapeutic effects of Radix Paeoniae Rubra decoction (RPRD) on a-cute pancreatitis (AP) in rats, and to study effects of RPRD on the expression of NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-6. Method Forty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were, randomly divided into five groups normal control group (group A), AP model groups (group B, 24 h; group C,72 h) and RPRD treatment groups (group D, 24 h;group E,72 h).There were 8 rats in each group. The AP models were induced by intraperitoneally injecting with L-arginine. After the model was estabhshed, rats of group B and group C were treated with inn'a-gastric instillation of NS, and rats in group D and group E with RPRD. At 24 and 72 hours after induction of AP, rats in each group were sacri-riced and blood samples were taken for the measurement of serum amylase. The expression of NF-κB 1065 protein and TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA in the pancreas was detected by Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR, re-spectively, and the pathological status of the pancreas was analyzed. Results The serum amylase level in group B and group D was obviously increased at 24 hours, and were significantly higher than that in group A (P < 0.05) ; the level in group D was lower thaa that in group B (P < 0.05). the level reduced at 72 hours, and there was no difference between group E and group C (P > 0.05). The pathological severity and the pathological score of pan-creatic tissue in group D and group E at 24 hours and 72 hours were more hghter than those in group B and hours C (P < 0. 05). The expression levels of NF-κB p65 protein (Western blotting) in the pancreas of group D and group E were significantly lighter than those in group B and group C at both time points (group D compared with group B, (0.07 ± 0.006) vs. (0.71 ± 0.029), P < 0.05;group D compared with B, (0.07 ± 0.006) vs. (0.71 ±0.029), P <0.05; group E compared with C, 0.18±0.014 vs. 0.65±0.026, P <0.05). The results of real-time quantitative PCR shown that the expression levels of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA in model treatment group were significantly stronger than that in RPRD group at the two time points (P < 0.05). Conclusions RPRD is effective for the treatment of AP rats to inhibit the activity of NF-κB. Inhibition of NF-κB offers a promising strategy to treat AP by down-regulating eytokine expression.