The inhibitory effects of Nardostachys jatamansi on alcoholic chronic pancreatitis

Nardostachys jatamansi (NJ) belonging to the Valerianaceae familyhas been used as a remedy for gastrointestinal inflammatory diseasesfor decades. However, the potential for NJ to ameliorate alcoholicchronic pancreatitis (ACP) is unknown. The aim of thisstudy was to examine the inhibitory effects of NJ on ACP.C57black/6 mice received ethanol injections intraperitoneally for 3weeks against a background of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis.During ACP, NJ was ad libitum administrated orally with water.After 3 weeks of treatment, the pancreas was harvested for histologicalexamination. NJ treatment increased the pancreatic acinarcell survival (confirmed by amylase level testing) and reduced collagendeposition and pancreatic stellate cell (PSC) activation. In addition,NJ treatment reduced the activation but not death of PSC. Inconclusion, our results suggest that NJ attenuated ACP through theinhibition of PSC activation.