• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.105-121
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• 2015

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of Gagam-daewhang mangcho-tang (GDM) and its components on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) in mice Methods: The AP mouse model was induced by intra-peritoneal injection of cerulein (50 μg/kg) at hourly intervals for 6 times. The experimental drug was administrated intraperitoneally 1 hour prior to the first injection of cerulein. Mice were sacrificed at 6 hours after the last injection of cerulein. Blood samples were taken to determine serum amylase level. The pancreas and lungs were rapidly removed for histochemical examination and myeloperoxidase (MPO) assays. Results: Administration of modified GDM significantly reduced the ratio of pancreas/body weight, level of serum amylase, neutrophil infiltration, and histological damage of the pancreas and lung. In a test of the components of GDM, the Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) group showed a significant suppression of the severity of AP. In an experiment testing the concentration of SM, the 150 mg/kg SM group showed significant attenuation of the severity of AP. Conclusions: Modified GDM and a SM water extract could attenuate AP and AP-associated lung injury via suppression of digestive enzyme secretion and MPO activity.