Protective effects of alpha-pinene in mice with cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis.

Gi-Sang Bae, Kyoung-Chel Park, Sun Bok Choi, Il-Joo Jo, Mee-Ok Choi, Seung-Heon Hong, Kyung Song, Ho-Joon Song, Sung-Joo Park

Index: Life Sci. 91(17-18) , 866-71, (2012)

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Abstract

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a complicated inflammatory disease that has an unknown underlying pathogenesis. Because alpha-pinene can modulate inflammation, we examined whether alpha-pinene plays a role in AP.Alpha-pinene was administered intraperitoneally 1h prior to the first injection of cerulein. Once AP developed, cerulein, a stable cholecystokinin analog, was injected hourly over a 6-h period. Blood samples were taken 6h later to determine serum amylase and lipase levels. The pancreas and lungs were rapidly removed for morphological examination, myeloperoxidase assay, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We also isolated the pancreatic acinar cells using a collagenase solution. Cell viability, and cytokine productions were measured in pancreatic acini.Intraperitoneal administration of alpha-pinene reduced the pancreatic weight (PW) to body weight (BW) ratio and the serum levels of amylase and lipase. Alpha-pinene treatment also reduced histological damage and myeloperoxidase activity in the pancreas and lungs. Furthermore, alpha-pinene pretreatment reduced the production of pancreatic tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 during cerulein-induced AP. In vitro, alpha-pinene inhibited cerulein-induced cell death and cytokine production in isolated cerulein-treated pancreatic acinar cells.These findings suggest that alpha-pinene has an anti-inflammatory effect during cerulein-induced AP.Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.