Recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist attenuates the severity of chronic pancreatitis induced by TNBS in rats

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a common disease in the department of gastroenterology, with the main symptoms of exocrine and/or endocrine insufficiency and abdominal pain. The pathogenic mechanism of CP is still not fully clarified and the aims of treatment now are to relieve symptoms. In this study, we attempted to find a connection between interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced chronic pancreatitis, and then the therapeutic effect of recombinant IL-1Ra was also detected in the CP model. Chronic pancreatitis was induced by intraductal infusion of TNBS in SD rats followed by a consecutive administration of rIL-1Ra, and the histological changes and collagen content in the pancreas were measured, as well as the abdominal hypersensitivity. We found that rhIL-1Ra could attenuate the severity of chronic pancreatic injury, modulate the extracellular matrix secretion, focal proliferation and apoptosis, and cellular immunity in TNBS-induced CP. Interestingly, rIL-1Ra could also block the pancreatitis-induced referred abdominal hypersensitivity. In conclusion, IL-1Ra may play a protective role in CP and rIL-1Ra would be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of CP, while its possible mechanisms and clinical usage still need further investigation.

Effects of Carum carvi L. (Caraway) extract and essential oil on TNBS-induced colitis in rats

Carum carvi L. (Apiaceae family) or caraway is a common household plant grown around the world including Iran. Caraway fruits are used as flavoring agent in foods and beverages, and have various traditional uses in ethnomedicine. Anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, carminative and immunomodulatory properties of caraway suggest that it might exert beneficial effects on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the effects of caraway hydroalcoholic extract (CHE) and its essential oil (CEO) in an immunological model of colitis in rats induced by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). Different doses of CHE (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) and CEO (100, 200, 400 μl/kg) were administered orally (p.o.) and also doses of CHE (100, 400 mg/kg) and CEO (100, 400 μl/kg) were given intraperitoneally (i.p.) to the separate groups of male Wistar rats (n=6). Administration of the doses started 6 h after induction of colitis and continued daily for 5 consecutive days. Wet colon weight/length ratio was measured and tissue damage scores as well as indices of colitis were evaluated both macroscopically and histopathologically. CHE and CEO at all doses tested were effective in reducing colon tissue lesions and colitis indices and the efficacy was nearly the same when different doses of plant fractions were administered p.o. or i.p. Administration of prednisolone (p.o., 4 mg/kg), Asacol® (mesalazine microgranules, p.o., 100 mg/kg) and hydrocortisone acetate (i.p., 20 mg/kg) as references were effective in reducing colon tissue injures as well. These data suggest that caraway fractions are both effective and possess anti-colitic activity irrespective of the dose and route of administration.