Therapeutic effect of Qingyi decoction in severe acute pancreatitis-induced intestinal barrier injury

AIM: To investigate the effect of Qingyi decoction on the expression of secreted phospholipase A(2) (sPLA(2)) in intestinal barrier injury. METHODS: Fifty healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), Qingyi decoction-treated (QYT), dexamethasone-treated (DEX), and verapamil-treated (VER) groups. The SAP model was induced by retrograde infusion of 1.5% sodium deoxycholate into the biliopancreatic duct of the rats. All rats were sacrificed 24 h post-SAP induction. Arterial blood, intestine, and pancreas from each rat were harvested for investigations. The levels of serum amylase (AMY) and diamine oxidase (DAO) were determined using biochemical methods, and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha level was measured by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Pathologic changes in the harvested tissues were investigated by microscopic examination of hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections. The expressions of sPLA(2) at mRNA and protein levels were detected by reverse transcriptase PCR and Western blot, respectively. A terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay was used to investigate apoptosis of epithelial cells in the intestinal tissues. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the expression of 5PLA(2) at both the mRNA and protein levels increased significantly in the SAP group (0.36 +/- 0.13 vs 0.90 +/- 0.38, and 0.16 +/- 0.05 vs 0.64 +/- 0.05, respectively; Ps < 0.01). The levels of AMY, TNF-alpha and DA0 in serum were also significantly increased (917 62 U/L vs 6870 +/- 810 U/L, 59.7 +/- 14.3 ng/L vs 180.5 +/- 20.1 ng/L, and 10.37 +/- 2.44 U/L vs 37.89 +/- 5.86 U/L, respectively; Ps < 0.01). The apoptosis index of intestinal epithelial cells also differed significantly between the SAP and control rats (0.05 +/- 0.02 vs 0.26 +/- 0.06; P < 0.01). The serum levels of DA0 and TNF-alpha, and the intestinal apoptosis index significantly correlated with 5PLA2 expression in the intestine (r = 0.895, 0.893 and 0.926, respectively; Ps < 0.05). The levels of 5PLA(2), AMY, TNF-alpha, and DAO in the QYT, VER, and DEX groups were all decreased compared with the SAP group, but not the control group. Qingyi decoction intervention, however, gave the most therapeutic effect against intestinal barrier damage, although the onset of its therapeutic effect was slower. CONCLUSION: Qingyi decoction ameliorates acute pancreatitis-induced intestinal barrier injury by inhibiting the overexpression of intestinal 5PLA2. This mechanism may be similar to that of verapamil.