Effect of dexamethasone, anisodamine and rhubarb therapy on rats with acute pancreatitis

ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effects of dexamethasone, anisodamine and rhubarb (DAR) on endotoxin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and pancreatic damage in rat models of acute pancreatitis (AP).MethodsThe AP rat models were prepared and randomly assigned to AP group (n=10) and DAR group (n=10), while other healthy rats were assigned to the sham-operated group (n=10). The rats were euthanized at 6 h after operation, and then the serum levels of endotoxin, TNF-α, IL-6 and histology of pancreas were determined as the indexes of therapeutic effects.ResultsAt 6 h after operation, serum levels of endotoxin, TNF-α and IL-6, and pancreatic damage were significantly increased in AP group compared with those in sham-operated group (P<0.01). Compared with the AP group, DAR therapy remarkably attenuated the endotoxin, TNF-α, IL-6 levels and reduced pancreatic damage (P<0.05).ConclusionThe inhibition of pancreatic damage by DAR in rats with AP might contribute, in part at least, to the amelioration of pancreatic inflammation. The present study provides beneficial evidence that DAR may be useful in the treatment of AP model of rats.