09/25/2018 / By Michelle Simmons
Acute pancreatitis can be treated with Chinese ginseng (Panax notoginseng) according to a study published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Researchers from Kunming Medical University and its affiliated hospitals in Kunming, China looked at the protective effects of Chinese ginseng extracts against acute pancreatitis. In conducting the study, they first gave Chinese ginseng extract to mice by intravenous injection. After two hours, they administered taurocholate to induce severe acute pancreatitis.
The next day, they measured the expression levels of miR-181b, microtubule-associated protein II light chain 3 (LC3-II), myosin-like B-cell lymphoma 2 (Blc-2) interacting protein (Beclin1), protein kinase B (Akt), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways involved in the regulation of autophagy, which indicates the development of pancreatitis.
The research team also measured the expression levels of Caspase-3 and Blc-2 and amylase and lipase levels. In addition, they assessed apoptosis and conducted a histological analysis.
The results of the study revealed that Chinese ginseng increased the miR-181b expression level, which led to a significant reduction of pancreatic injury and autophagy and increases in apoptosis. It also prevented the formation of autophagosomes. The formation of autophagosomes plays a role in the development of pancreatitis and Chinese ginseng extract inhibited this.
In addition, the treatment improved pancreatitis by reducing autophagy activation via increasing the mTOR/Akt pathway. It also reduced Bcl-2 expression, blocked autophagosome markers Beclin1 and LC3-11, and enhanced Caspase-3 expression. Moreover, the Chinese ginseng extract substantially reduced lipase and amylase levels.
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These results provide evidence on the protective effects and the potential of Chinese ginseng as a treatment for acute pancreatitis. (Related: TCM herb found to be effective at treating pancreatitis.)
Chinese ginseng is used in traditional Chinese medicine in treating various diseases. Chinese ginseng is also referred to as San Qi, which means “Three Seven.” The name comes from the belief that the herb is more effective when harvested between three and seven years after planting. It is said that the best quality Chinese ginseng is grown in southern China. Wenshan in Yunnan province and Jingxi in the province of Guanxi have moderate temperatures and enough rainfall to grow the finest Chinese ginseng.
Read more news stories and studies on natural treatments for pancreatitis by going to ChineseMedicine.news.
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Tagged Under: acute pancreatitis, alternative medicine, Chinese ginseng, Chinese medicine, ginseng, good herb, herbal medicine, Herbs, natural cures, natural healing, natural medicine, natural remedies, Panax notoginseng, pancreatitis, TCM