Abstract
Objectives : This study was undertaken to compare the effect of Foeniculi Fructus and Lonicerae Flos extract on the cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats. Methods : Acute pancreatitis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of cerulein. Foeniculi Fructus extract (FE; 300 mg/kg) and Lonicerae Flos extract (LE; 300 mg/kg) were injected 2hr before induction of acute pancreatitis. Rats were sacrificed 6hr after first injection of cerulein. The severity of pancreatitis was assessed by measuring pancreatic weight/body weight ratio, neutrophil, lymphocyte, serum amylase activity, platelet activating factor (PAF) activity, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) activity, interleukin 6 (IL-6) activity and by histological assessments of inflammatory cell infiltration. Results : 1. The pancreatic weight/body weight ratios of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 2. The neutrophil content ratio of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased. 3. The lymphocyte content ratio of FE and LE group compared with the control group were increased significantly. 4. The activities of serum amylase of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 5. The activities of serum PAF of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 6. The activities of TNF-${\alpha}$ of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 7. The activities of IL-6 of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 8. The pancreas injected with FE and LE showed reduction of swelling of acinar cells, inflammation and vacuolization than the control group on light microscopic observation. Conclusions : These results suggest that Foeniculi Fructus and Lonicerae Flos extract have an effect to suppress inflammation on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats. But there are no significant differences between Foeniculi Fructus extract and Lonicerae Flos extract.