Departments of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. xinliang.lu@yahoo.com

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) on pancreatic damage in experimental chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: Chronic pancreatitis was induced by infusion of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid into the pancreatic duct in male Sprague-Dawley rats. From the beginning of 5 weeks, the rats in group 2 were treated with Sal-B by gavage for 8 weeks. Salvianolic acid B was given at a daily dose of 10 mg/kg body weight. At the end of 12 weeks, the levels of serum biochemical indexes were measured on an automatic biochemical analyzer; serum hyaluronic acid and laminin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay; pancreatic tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) was analyzed, and the degree of pancreatic damage was determined. RESULTS: The level of serum biochemical indexes were similar in all groups (P > 0.05 for all). Salvianolic acid B treatment did not obviously reduce hyaluronic acid and laminin concentration in blood (P > 0.05). Salvianolic acid B treatment decreased MDA concentration in pancreatic tissue (P < 0.01). Salvianolic acid B clearly improved pancreatic histological findings and prevented the activation of pancreatic stellate cells. CONCLUSIONS: Sal-B treatment decreased MDA concentration in pancreatic tissue, attenuated morphological pancreatic damage, and prevented the activation of pancreatic stellate cells in experimental chronic pancreatitis.