title: Shikonin ameliorates cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Shikonin, a highly liposoluble naphthoquinone pigment isolated from the traditional medical herbs Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE), was considered to exhibit an anti-inflammatory property. While the potential of shikonin to ameliorate acute pancreatitis (AP) is unknown. Our aim was to investigate the effects of shikonin in a murine model of cerulein-induced pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  AP was induced in mice by six intraperitoneal injection of cerulein (50 μg/kg) at hourly intervals. Vehicle or shikonin (50 mg/kg) was pretreated 2 h before the first cerulein injection. After 6 h, 9 h and 12 h of the first cerulein injection, the severity of acute pancreatitis was assessed by biochemistry, myeloperoxidase activity, histological grading, proinflammatory cytokines levels and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shikonin administration significantly reduced serum amylase and lipase activities, pancreatic histological scores, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 levels, MPO activity and NF-κB activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, these results suggest that shikonin might protect against experimental pancreatitis by reducing release of inflammatory cytokines via inhibition of NF-κB activity. The therapeutic role of shikonin in AP needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Jianbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Guoyong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jiaqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Guojian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Congying
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yanling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Xingpeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002108:Ceruletide; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C016101:shikonin; D002108:Ceruletide; D009195:Peroxidase