Chaihu Shugan Powder alleviates pancreatic injury from acute pancreatitis by activating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, and heme oxygenase-1 pathway.
In the research, acute pancreatitis models were set up in both AR42J cells and rats using cerulein. Chaihu Shugan Powder was administered as an intervention to study its impact on pancreatic damage. It was observed that this herbal mixture didn't have any negative effect on regular cell operations. Moreover, it demonstrated a positive outcome by partially reversing the damage induced by cerulein, evident through an increase in cell viability, glutathione level along with an upsurge of specific protein markers. Meanwhile, the content of the inflammatory factor, reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, as well as iron also decreased.
The study's results implied that the powder alleviates acute pancreatitis-induced damage by triggering the activation of a specific pathway involving three factors: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, and heme oxygenase-1. Silencing the gene of the first factor was found to partially suppress the activation of this pathway. This indicates that this specific pathway plays a significant role in the powder's therapeutic effect. The same pathway activation was observed in the animals too, where the powder mitigated the pathomorphological changes and cellular degradation related to acute pancreatitis. Hence, the alleviation of pancreatic damage by Chaihu Shugan Powder ties back to the activation of this pathway.
