title: Korean red ginseng ameliorated experimental pancreatitis through the inhibition of hydrogen sulfide in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Effective therapy to treat acute pancreatitis (AP) or to prevent its recurrence/complication is still not available. Based on previous results that suggest that: i) hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels were significantly increased in pancreatitis and gastritis and ii) Korean red ginseng (KRG) efficiently attenuated Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis through the suppressive actions of H2S, we hypothesized that KRG can ameliorate experimental pancreatitis through suppression of H2S generation.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6 mice were pre-administered KRG and then subjected to cerulein injection or pancreatic duct ligation (PDL) to induce pancreatitis. Blood and pancreas tissues were collected and processed to measure serum levels of amylase, lipase and myeloperoxidase and the concentration of H2S and the levels of various inflammatory cytokine in pancreatic tissues of mice with induced AP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  KRG significantly inhibited NaHS-induced COX-2 and TNF-α mRNA in pancreatic cells, but dl-propargylglycine did not. KRG ameliorated cerulein-induced edematous pancreatitis accompanied with significant inactivation of NF-κB and JNK in pancreatic tissues of C57BL/6 mice (p < 0.001) and also significantly ameliorated PDL-induced necrotizing pancreatitis (p<0.01); in both conditions, the significant suppression of H2S resulting from KRG pretreatment afforded rescuing outcomes. Along with suppressed levels of H2S consequent to depressed expressions of CBS and CSE mRNA, KRG administration efficiently decreased the serum level of amylase, lipase, and myeloperoxidase and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in animal models of mild or severe AP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide evidence for the preventive and therapeutic roles of KRG against AP mediated by H2S suppression.
authors.affiliation: CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center, CHA Bio Complex, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sooyeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center, CHA Bio Complex, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center, CHA Bio Complex, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Migyeong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center, CHA Bio Complex, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center, CHA Bio Complex, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Go
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, CHA University Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Weon Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, CHA University Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, CHA University Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Il
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: CHA Cancer Prevention Research Center, CHA Bio Complex, Seongnam, Republic of Korea; Digestive Disease Center, CHA University Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hahmkb@cha.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Ki Baik
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Hahm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D005894:Panax; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: Cerulein-induced pancreatitis; Cystathione-β-synthase (CBS); Cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE); Hydrogen sulfide; Korean red ginseng; Pancreatic duct ligation-induced necrotizing pancreatitis