Effect of rhubarb on the mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in rats with severe acute pancreatitis / 中华急诊医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the effects of rhubarb on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) sig-naling transducfon pathway in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP),and to investigate the treatment mecha-nism of rhubarb on SAP. Method One hundred SD rats were provided by from the Animal Center of Nanjing Uni-versity. All animals were randomly divided into sham operation (n=33), SAP (n=33) and rhubarb groups (n=34). SAP model was induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodittm taurocholate. Rhubarb was given with 10% rhubarb decoction (2 mi/100 g) at the time of pancreafitis induction in the rhubarb groups. At 1, 3, 6, and 12 h after the models were established,animals were killed. MAPK activity in pancreatic tissue was examined by West-em blotting and the mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in pancreatic tissues were detected by RT-PCR. All data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software and statistical differences between values from two sroups were determined by the Student's t -test. Results MAPK activity, TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA levels in pancreatic tissues were signifi-cantly enhanced in the SAP group compared with the sham operation group (all P<0.01). Rhubarb treatment markedlyinhibited MAPK activation,TNF-α,IL 6 mRNA (all p<0.01). Conclusions Rhubarb can alleviate the inflammatory response of SAP by down-regulating MAPK activity.