# Protective Effect of Naringin in L-arginine-induced Acute Pancreatitis in Wistar Rats

## TL;DR

This study shows that naringin, a natural flavonoid, can protect against pancreatitis in rats by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates naringin's protective effects in a rat model of pancreatitis through both biochemical and histopathological evidence.

## Key findings

- Naringin reduced pancreatic enzyme levels and oxidative stress markers in rats with induced pancreatitis.
- Naringin decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased anti-inflammatory IL-10 in a dose-dependent manner.
- Histopathological analysis confirmed reduced tissue damage with naringin treatment.

## Abstract

Background: Acute pancreatitis, a non-infectious inflammatory disorder of the
pancreas, is not only the most common cause of hospitalization among
gastrointestinal diseases in many countries but up to 20% of patients may
experience morbidity and mortality. Naringin is a common flavonoid that is found
in many fruits such as oranges and tomatoes, and evidence revealed its use in
the prevention and treatment of many diseases due to its antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory effects. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of naringin in the pancreatitis model
in rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, sixty male
Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 equal groups. In the control group,
normal saline was injected intraperitoneally (IP). In the sham and experimental
groups, pancreatitis was induced with a dose of 3.2 g/kg body weight of
L-arginine IP, twice with a time interval of one hour. Rats of low dose (E-L)
and high dose (E-H) groups were treated with 200 and 500 mg/kg of naringin IP,
30 minutes before L-arginine administration, respectively. Serum lipase and
amylase along with pancreatic IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α were measured. Also, to
evaluate oxidative stress, pancreatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione
(GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were evaluated. In
addition, the histopathological study was performed with morphological
examination. Results: Sham rats exhibited increased levels of amylase and
lipases compared to controls. Naringin administration significantly reduced
these levels in the experimental groups. In addition, naringin decreased MDA and
MPO levels and increased SOD and GSH activities in the E-L and E-H groups. TNF-α
and IL-1β levels were higher in the sham group but reduced with naringin
treatment. Naringin also increased IL-10 levels in a dose-dependent manner.
Histopathological analysis showed that naringin reduced tissue damage severity
in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained in the
study, naringin administration effectively reduced pancreas enzyme activity, and
increased antioxidant enzyme activities in rats with induced pancreatitis.
Naringin also exhibited anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing TNF-α and IL-1β
levels while increasing IL-10 levels in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the
histopathological analysis demonstrated that naringin had protective effects
against tissue damage caused by pancreatitis, showing a dose-dependent reduction
in the severity of edema, inflammation, and necrosis. These findings suggest
that naringin holds promise as a potential therapeutic agent for managing
pancreatitis-related complications.