Zerumbone Alleviates Acute Pancreatitis in Rats by Reducing Inflammatory Reaction and Oxidative Stress and Regulating TLR4/NF-KB Signaling Pathway

This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of zerumbone on acute pancreatitis in rats and to clarify the underlying mechanisms. Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into control, zerumbone, model and model+zerumbone groups, 12 rats in each group. The acute pancreatitis model was established in model and model+zerumbone groups by biliopancreatic duct injection with sodium taurocholate. Then, the zerumbone and model+zerumbone groups were treated with 10 mg/kg zerumbone by femoral vein puncture for two times. After 6 h from the last treatment, compared with model group, in model+zerumbone group, the acute pancreatitis symptoms were obviously alleviated, the wet pancreatic weight and pancreatic histopathological score were decreased (P < 0.05), the serum amylase and phospholipase A2 activities were decreased (P < 0.05), the serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein levels were decreased (P < 0.05), the pancreatic tissue superoxide dismutase and catalase levels were increased (P < 0.05), the pancreatic tissue reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels were decreased (P < 0.05), and the pancreatic tissue Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) p65 protein expression levels were decreased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, zerumbone can alleviate the acute pancreatitis in rats by reducing inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress and regulating TLR4/NF-kappa B signaling pathway.