Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into 5 equal groups: normal control group, model control group, low-dose
emodin-treated group, mediate-dose
emodin-treated group, and high-dose
emodin-treated group. The rats of the latter 4 groups underwent infusion of trinitrobenzene
sulfonic acid (TNBS) into the pancreatic duct so as to establish models of pancreatic
fibrosis. The
emodin-treated rats were fed with different doses of
emodin (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg
body weight), while the normal and model control groups received 0.9%
sodium chloride solution instead. Twenty-eight days later the rats were killed, blood samples were collected, and their pancreases were taken out. The serum levels of
hyaluronic acid (HA) and
laminin (LN) were determined by radioimmunoassay. The histopathological alterations were studied by optical microscopy. The expression of
collagen was examined by Van Gieson staining. Western blotting was used to detect the
protein expression of transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)).
RESULTS: (1) The serum level of HA of the low-dose, mediate-dose, and high-dose
emodin-treated groups were 87 microg/L +/- 22 microg/L, 78 microg/L +/- 25 microg/L, and 62 microg/L +/- 19 microg/L respectively, all significantly lower than that of the model control group (113 microg/L +/- 27 microg/L, P < 0.05 or < 0.01). The serum levels of
laminin in the low-dose, mediate-dose, and high-dose
emodin-treated groups were 67 microg/L +/- 14 microg/L, 57 microg/L +/- 12 microg/L, and 44 microg/L +/- 10 microg/L respectively, all significantly lower than that of the model control group (86 microg/L +/- 17 microg/L, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); (2) The degrees of
fibrosis of the
emodin-treated groups were obviously ameliorated in comparison with the model control group, the higher the dose of
emodin the more improved the pathological changes, especially in the high-dose
emodin-treated group (P < 0.05). (3) The percentages of
collagen positive cells of the low-dose, mediate-dose, and high-dose
emodin-treated groups were 39% +/- 7%, 38% +/- 4%, and 36% +/- 5% respectively, all lower than that of the model control group (42% +/- 6%), with a significant difference between the high-dose
emodin-treated group and the model control group (P < 0.05). (4) The
protein content of TGF-beta(1) of the low-dose, mediate-dose, and high-dose
emodin-treated groups were 44.3% +/- 2.1%, 39.2% +/- 1.8%, and 28.8% +/- 1.6% respectively, all significantly lower than that of the model control group (60.7% +/- 1.7%, all P < 0.05), and the
protein content of TGF-beta(1) of the high-dose
emodin-treated group was significantly lower than those of the other 2
emodin-treated groups (both P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: