ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of Qingyi Granule (QYG) on high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) expressions in liver and renal tissues of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-four Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into the sham-operation (SO) group, the SAP group, and the QYG group according to random digits table. Rats in the SAP group were induced by injecting 5% sodium taurocholate (STC). Liver and renal pathological changes were observed by HE staining. Serum contents of amylase (AMS), MDA, IL-1, and HMGB1 were detected by ELISA. HMGB1 protein expressions in liver and renal tissues were tested by immunohistochemistry. HMGB1 mRNA expressions in liver and renal tissues were detected by reversed transcription PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The pathological scores, serum levels of AMS, MDA, IL-1 and HMGB1, and protein and mRNA HMGB1 expressions in liver and renal tissues were increased more obviously in the SAP group than in the SO group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). All of them could be down-regulated by QYG intervention, with the most significant effect seen at 72 h (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in a time-effect relationship.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>HMGB1 participated in SAP complicated liver and renal injuries. QYG could effectively inhibit HMGB1 expressions, thereby attenuating SAP complicated liver and renal injuries.</p>
