Therapeutic effects of Saussurea involucrata injection against severe acute pancreatitis- induced brain injury in rats

To observe the therapeutic effects of Saussurea involucrata (Sau) injection against severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)-induced brain injury. Sodium taurocholate-induced SAP-modeled rats were equally randomized into an SAP model group (SAP group) and a Sau treated group (Sau + S group). Healthy rats were equally randomized into a Sau treated group (Sau + H group) and a sham operation group (SO group). Serum amylase levels, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) contents were determined by optical turbidimetry, ELISA and nitrate reductase method respectively. Western blot was used to detect protein expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), ET-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) while mRNA levels of these biomarkers in brain tissue were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Furthermore, pathological changes, as well as all above indexes of pancreas and brain, were observed at 6, 24 and 48 h after administration. There was a significant difference in mortality between SAP and Sau + S groups (P < 0.05). Serum amylase levels, ET-1 and NO contents, ET-1/NO ratio, relative expression levels of ET-1 and iNOS protein/mRNA of brain tissue in Sau + S group were lower than those in SAP group at 24 and 48 h post-operation (P < 0.05 or 0.01), meanwhile, pancreas and brain pathological scores showed similar tendency (P < 0.01). However, both protein and mRNA levels of PI3K, Akt and eNOS of brain tissue in Sau + S group were higher than those in SAP group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in all indexes between Sau + H and SO groups at all designated time points (P > 0.05). Sau injection has therapeutic effects on SAP-induced brain injury in rats.