Effect of baicalin on inflammatory mediator levels and microcirculation disturbance in rats with severe acute pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of bacailin on inflammatory mediators and microcirculation disturbance in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rats and explore its therapeutic mechanism.

METHODS

The rats were randomly divided into SAP group, baicalin-treated group and sham operated group. At 3, 6, and 12 hours after operation, we examined the mortality rate of rats, ascites volume, and pancreatic pathological changes in each group and determined the contents of inflammatory mediators in blood as well as the changes in blood viscosity.

RESULTS

Compared with SAP group, treatment with baicalin is able to improve the pathological damage of the pancreas, reduce the contents of multiple inflammatory mediators in blood, decrease the amount of ascitic fluid, and reduce the mortality rates of SAP rats. The low-shear whole blood viscosity in baicalin-treated group (at 3 hours) as well as the high-shear and low-shear whole blood viscosity in baicalin-treated group (at 12 hours) were significantly lower than that in SAP group.

CONCLUSIONS

Baicalin has good prospects in the treatment for SAP because it can exert therapeutic effects on this disease through inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators, decreasing blood viscosity, improving microcirculation, and mitigating the pathological damage of the pancreas.