Protective effects of rhubarb on experimental severe acute pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of rhubarb on severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in rats.


METHODS
Severe acute pancreatitis was induced by two intraperitoneal injections of cerulein (40 microg/kg body weight) plus 5-h restraint water-immersion stress. Rhubarb (75-150 mg/kg) was orally fed before the first cerulein injection. The degree of pancreatic edema, serum amylase level, local pancreatic blood flow (PBF), and histological alterations were investigated. The effects of rhubarb on pancreatic exocrine secretion in this model were evaluated by comparing with those of somatostatin.


RESULTS
In the Cerulein+Stress group, severe edema and diffuse hemorrhage in the pancreas were observed, the pancreatic wet weight (11.60+/-0.61 g/Kg) and serum amylase (458 490+/-43 100 U/L) were markedly increased (P<0.01 vs control). In the rhubarb (150 mg/kg) treated rats, necrosis and polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) infiltration in the pancreas were significantly reduced (P<0.01), and a marked decrease (50%) in serum amylase levels was also observed (P<0.01). PBF dropped to 38% (93+/-5 mL/min per 100 g) of the control in the Cerulein+Stress group and partly recovered in the Cerulein+Stress+Rhubarb 150 mg group (135+/-12 mL/min per 100 g) (P<0.01). The pancreatic exocrine function was impaired in the SAP rats. The amylase levels of pancreatic juice were reduced in the rats treated with rhubarb or somatostatin, comparing with that of untreated SAP group. The bicarbonate concentration of pancreatic juice was markedly elevated only in the rhubarb-treated group (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Rhubarb can exert protective effects on SAP, probably by inhibiting the inflammation of pancreas, improving pancreatic microcirculation, and altering exocrine secretion.
Zhao
Yu-Qing
YQ
Department of Gastroenterology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China.
Liu
Xiao-Hong
XH
Ito
Tetsuhide
T
Qian
Jia-Ming
JM
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002108:Ceruletide; D019610:Cytoprotection; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012250:Rheum; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D002108:Ceruletide