Nardostachys jatamansi protects against cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
Nardostachys jatamansi belonging to the family Valerianaceae has been used as a remedy for stomach and skin ailments in Korea. The effect of N. jatamansi on acute pancreatitis (AP) has not been defined. Therefore, we investigated the effect of N. jatamansi on cerulein-induced AP.


METHODS
In the pretreatment group, N. jatamansi was administered orally to mice at 10 and 20 mg/kg for 5 days, and the mice were intraperitoneally injected with the stable cholecystokinin analogue cerulein hourly for 6 hours. In the posttreatment group, cerulein was injected hourly for 6 hours, and N. jatamansi was administered at the indicated time (1, 3, and 5 hours after the first cerulein injection) and dose (10 and 20 mg/kg) during the cerulein injection. Blood samples were taken 6 hours later to determine the serum amylase, the lipase, and the cytokine levels. The pancreas and the lung were rapidly removed for morphologic examination, myeloperoxidase assay, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Nardostachys jatamansi treatment attenuated the AP, as shown by the histological examination results of the pancreas and the lung, reductions in pancreatic edema, neutrophil infiltration, serum amylase and lipase levels, serum cytokine levels, and messenger RNA expressions of inflammatory mediators.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that N. jatamansi attenuates the severity of AP and pancreatitis-associated lung injury.
Bae
Gi-Sang
GS
Department of Herbology, School of Oriental Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk, South Korea.
Park
Hee-Je
HJ
Kim
Do-Yun
DY
Song
Je-Moon
JM
Kim
Tae-Hyeon
TH
Oh
Hyo-Jeong
HJ
Yun
Ki-Jung
KJ
Park
Rae-Kil
RK
Lee
Jung-Ho
JH
Shin
Byung-Cheul
BC
Sim
Hee-Jung
HJ
Hong
Seon-Pyo
SP
Song
Ho-Joon
HJ
Park
Sung-Joo
SJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002108:Ceruletide; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D032404:Nardostachys / Q000737:chemistry*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002108:Ceruletide; D009195:Peroxidase; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases