Experimental study of therapeutic efficacy of Baicalin in rats with severe acute pancreatitis

AIM: To observe the therapeutic efficacy of Baicalin in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and explore its therapeutic mechanisms.METHODS: The SAP rat models were randomly divided into the model control group, Baicalin treatment group, octreotide treatment group and sham operation group. All groups were randomly subdivided into 3 h, 6 h and 12 h groups with 15 rats in each group. The survival, ascites volume and pathological changes of pancreas in all rats were observed at different time points after operation. The plasma amylase content and serum TNF-α, IL-6, malonaldehyde (MDA) and PLA2 contents were also determined. RESULTS: The survival was not obviously different between the treated groups, and was significantly higher in treated groups at 12 h compared to the model control group (P < 0.05, 15 vs 10). The ascites/body weight ratio at 3 h and 6 h was significantly lower in Baicalin treatment group compared to the model control group and octreotide treatment group (P < 0.05, 1.00 vs 2.02 and 1.43 and P < 0.001, 2.29 (1.21) vs 2.70 (0.80) and 2.08 (2.21), respectively). The contents of amylase, TNF-α, IL-6, MDA and PLA2 were significantly lower in the treated groups than in the model control group (P < 0.05, 4342 vs 5303, 5058 vs 6272 in amylase, P < 0.01, 21.90 vs 36.30, 23.80 vs 39.70, 36 vs 54.35 in MDA and 56.25 vs 76.10 in PlA2, or P < 0.001, 65.10 and 47.60 vs 92.15 in TNF-α, 3.03 vs 5.44, 2.88 vs 6.82, 2.83 vs 5.36 in IL-6, respectively). The pathological scores of pancreas in the treated groups were significantly lower than that in the model control group (P < 0.05, 9.00 vs 10.05, 6.00 vs 9.00, 8.00 vs 10.05), but no marked difference was found between the treated groups. CONCLUSION: The Baicalin injection has significant therapeutic effects on SAP rats, its effects are similar to those of octreotide. The Baicalin injection is also cheap and has a big application range, quite hopefully to be used in clinical treatment of SAP.

Negative methylation status of Vimentin predicts improved prognosis in pancreatic carcinoma

AIM: To determine the existence of a potential relationship between the methylation state of the Vimentin gene and its prognostic value in pancreatic cancer.METHODS: Sixty-four primary tumor specimens and normal tissues were collected consecutively from pancreatic cancer patients during surgery at Hangzhou First People's Hospital and Affiliated Hospital of the Logistics University of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force. DNA was extracted from the samples and subsequently quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the Vimentin methylation status of the samples. All of the patients were followed up to December 2012. χ2 test, Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression statistical models were used.RESULTS: Out of 64 pancreatic cancer tissues, 21 were marked as Vimentin methylation-positive, and 43 were marked as Vimentin methylation-negative. The location of pancreatic carcinoma was related to the Vimentin methylation state. The pathological T staging(P < 0.001), adjuvant chemotherapy(P = 0.003) and the Vimentin methylation state(P = 0.037) were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: In our study, Vimentin methylation status can predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. However, additional experiments and clinical trials are needed to accurately validate this observation.

Protective effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae on the hearts of rats with severe acute pancreatits or obstructive jaundice

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Salvia miltiorrhizae(Danshen) in the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis(SAP)-or obstructive jaundice(OJ)-induced heart injury. Methods:A total of 288 rats were used for SAP(n=108) and OJ-associated(n=180) experiments. The rats were randomly divided into sham-operated,model control,and Salvia miltiorrhizae-treated groups. According to the difference of time points after operation,SAP rats in each group were subdivided into 3,6 and 12 h subgroups(n=12),whereas OJ rats were subdivided into 7,14,21,and 28 d subgroups(n=15). At the corresponding time points after operation,the mortality rates of the rats,the contents of endotoxin and phospholipase A2(PLA2) in blood,and pathological changes of the hearts were investigated. Results:The numbers of dead SAP and OJ rats in the treated groups declined as compared with those in the model control group,but not significantly(P>0.05). The contents of endotoxin(at 6 and 12 h in SAP rats and on 7,14,21,and 28 d in OJ rats,respectively) and PLA2(at 6 and 12 h in SAP rats and on 28 d in OJ rats,respectively) in the treated group were significantly lower than those in the model control group(P<0.01 and P<0.001,respectively). Besides,myocardial pathological injuries were mitigated in SAP and OJ rats. Conclusion:In this study,we found that Salvia miltiorrhizae improved myocardial pathological changes,reduced the content of PLA2 in blood,and decreased the mortality rates of SAP and OJ rats,exerting protective effects on the hearts of the rats.