Zerumbone exerts a beneficial effect on inflammatory parameters of cholecystokinin octapeptide-induced experimental pancreatitis but fails to improve histology.
OBJECTIVE
Our experiments were designed to investigate the effects of zerumbone pretreatment on cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8)-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats weighing 240 to 280 g were divided into a control group, a group treated with CCK-8, a group receiving 20 mg/kg zerumbone before CCK-8 administration, and a group treated with zerumbone only.


RESULTS
The serum amylase and lipase activities and the pancreatic weight-body weight ratio were significantly reduced by zerumbone pretreatment, but the drug failed to influence the histological parameters of pancreatitis. The anti-inflammatory effects of the drug were manifested in decreases in the cytosolic interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha concentrations and an elevation in the I-kappaB concentration, whereas the antioxidant ability of zerumbone was demonstrated by reductions in inducible nitric oxide synthase, Mn- and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase activities in the zerumbone-treated rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Zerumbone ameliorated the changes of several parameters of acute pancreatitis probably by interfering with I-kappaB degradation, but in the applied dose, it failed to influence the histology of the disease.
Szabolcs
Annamária
A
1st Department of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary. anna_szabolcs@yahoo.com
Tiszlavicz
László
L
Kaszaki
József
J
Pósa
Anikó
A
Berkó
Anikó
A
Varga
Ilona S
IS
Boros
Imre
I
Szüts
Viktória
V
Lonovics
János
J
Takács
Tamás
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000032:analysis; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012844:Sincalide / Q000633:toxicity; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000975:Antioxidants; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C403304:zerumbone; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases; D012844:Sincalide; D002118:Calcium