Protection of triptolide against liver injury in severe acute pancreatitis rats

Objective To investigate the role of nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) with liver injury and protection of triptolide against liver injury in SAP.Methods Ninety Wistar rats were randomly allocated into three groups:SAP group (group P),treatment group with triptolide (group T),sham operation group (group S).There were 30 rats in each group.Rat SAP model was induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate to pancreatic duct.After the model was successfully established,no treatments were given in group P.In group T,triptolide (0.05 g/L) was given by intraperitoneal injection 0.2 mg/kg.The rats in group S were only subjected to obdominal opening.The rats were killed 2 h,6 h and 12 h after operation.The serum levels of amylase (AMY),alanine aminotransferose (ALT),TNF-α and IL-6 at three time points (10 rats for every time point) were determined.The liver tissues were taken for measurement of the activity of NF-κB and HE staining and electron microscopic examination.Results Serum AMY and ALT levels in groups P and T were higher than those in group S.Serum AMY Levels were significantly lower in group T than those in group P at 12 h after operation.Serum ALT levels were significantly lower in group T than those in group P at 6,12 h after operation.At the three time points,the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in groups P and T were significantly increased compared to those in group S.In group T,the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly decreased compared to those in group P at 3 time points.In groups P and T,the activity of NF-κB in liver tissue was significantly increased compared to that in group S at the three time points.The Activity of NF-κB was significantly higher in group P than that in groups S and T at three time points.Liver pathological damages were milder in group T than those in group P under microscopy and electron microscopy.Conclusion NF-κB plays an important role in the pathogenesis of liver injury in the SAP.Triptolide can reduce pathological damage of liver by inhibiting the activity of NF-κB and decreasing the release of the inflammatory mediators.