[Effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza on serum levels of inflammatory cytokines in patients with severe acute pancreatitis].

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza on serum levels of cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS Thirty-six SAP patients were randomly divided into Salvia miltiorrhiza-treated group and non-Salvia miltiorrhiza-treated group with eighteen patients in each group. Fourteen age-matched healthy volunteers were assigned to control group. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha were tested within 24 hours of admission and 7 days after admission. RESULTS Compared with those of the healthy volunteers, serum levels of the three cytokines of the SAP patients were significantly elevated (P<0.05). Serum levels of the three cytokines were significantly decreased in both Salvia miltiorrhiza-treated group and non-Salvia miltiorrhiza-treated group after 7-day treatment (P<0.05). The declining of the serum levels of the three cytokines in Salvia miltiorrhiza-treated group was more obvious than that in non-Salvia miltiorrhiza-treated group. CONCLUSION Salvia miltiorrhiza can treat SAP patients by reducing the serum levels of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha.