Protective effects of Curcuma longa against cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis and pancreatitis-associated lung injury.
Curcuma longa (CL) has been reported to possess a variety of pharmacological activities. However, the effects of CL on acute pancreatitis (AP) have not yet been determined. To this end, we examined the effects of CL on cerulein-induced AP. Cell viability and cytokine productions were measured in pancreatic acini. Mice were divided into 3 groups: i) Normal group, ii) normal saline-treated group, iii) group treated with CL at a dose of 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 g/kg. CL was administered orally to mice for 7 days. The mice were intraperitoneally injected with the stable cholecystokinin analogue, cerulein (50 μg/kg), every hour for a total of 6 h. The mice were sacrificed 6 h after the completion of the cerulein injections. Blood samples were obtained to determine serum amylase, lipase and cytokine levels. The pancreas was rapidly removed for morphological examination, measurement of tissue myeloperoxidase activity, as well as the level of cytokines and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The CL treatment reduced cerulein-induced cell death and cytokine production in pancreatic acini. The administration of CL significantly ameliorated the severity of pancreatitis and pancreatitis-associated lung injury, as was shown by the reduction in pancreatic edema, neutrophil infiltration, vacuolization, necrosis, serum amylase, lipase and cytokine levels, and mRNA expression of multiple inflammatory mediators such as interleukin (IL)-1ß and -6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. In order to identify the regulatory mechanism of CL on cerulein-induced pancreatitis, we examined the level of HO-1 in the pancreas. We found that the administration of CL induced HO-1. Our results suggest that CL plays a protective role in the development of AP and pancreatitis-associated lung injury.
ChungBuk Oriental Medicine Center, Jecheon, ChungBuk 390-250, Republic of Korea.
Sang-Wan
SW
Seo
Gi-Sang
GS
Bae
Sung Gyu
SG
Kim
Seung-Won
SW
Yun
Min-Sun
MS
Kim
Ki-Jung
KJ
Yun
Rae-Kil
RK
Park
Ho-Joon
HJ
Song
Sung-Joo
SJ
Park
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002108:Ceruletide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002108:Ceruletide; D009195:Peroxidase; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1