Opuntia humifusa ameliorated cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Opuntia humifusa ameliorated cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis.
Pancreas. 2014 Jan ;43(1):118-27. PMID: 24326366
Sun Bok Choi
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Opuntia humifusa (OH) on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis (AP).
METHODS: Acute pancreatitis was induced via intraperitoneal injection of cholecystokinin analog cerulein (50μg/kg). In the OH pretreatment group, OH was administered intraperitoneally (100, 250, or 500 mg/kg) 1 hour before first cerulein injection. In the posttreatment group, OH was administered intraperitoneally (500 mg/kg) 1 hour after the first cerulein injection. Furthermore, we isolated the pancreatic acinar cells using collagenase method, then investigated the acinar cell viability, cytokine productions, and the regulating mechanisms.
RESULTS: The both pretreatment and posttreatment of OH treatment attenuated the severity of AP, as shown by the histology of the pancreas and lung, and inhibited neutrophil infiltration; serum amylase and lipase activities; proinflammatory cytokine expression such as interleukin 1, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factorα; and cell death including apoptosis and necrosis. Furthermore, OH inhibited the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases.
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that OH reduces the severity of AP by inhibiting acinar cell death through c-Jun N-terminal kinases.