Shikonin ameliorates cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in mice

Shikonin, a highly liposoluble naphthoquinone pigment isolated from the traditional medical herbs Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE), was considered to exhibit an anti-inflammatory property. While the potential of shikonin to ameliorate acute pancreatitis (AP) is unknown. Our aim was to investigate the effects of shikonin in a murine model of cerulein-induced pancreatitis. AP was induced in mice by six intraperitoneal injection of cerulein (50 μg/kg) at hourly intervals. Vehicle or shikonin (50 mg/kg) was pretreated 2 h before the first cerulein injection. After 6 h, 9 h and 12 h of the first cerulein injection, the severity of acute pancreatitis was assessed by biochemistry, myeloperoxidase activity, histological grading, proinflammatory cytokines levels and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity. Shikonin administration significantly reduced serum amylase and lipase activities, pancreatic histological scores, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 levels, MPO activity and NF-κB activity. Taken together, these results suggest that shikonin might protect against experimental pancreatitis by reducing release of inflammatory cytokines via inhibition of NF-κB activity. The therapeutic role of shikonin in AP needs further investigation.