Abstract: AIM: To investigate the effect of acanthopanacis senticosi on the inflammatory mediators in acute pancreatitis(AP) rat models.METHODS: The rat models of AP were induced by intraductal administration of 5% sodium taurocholate, which were killed on time after model induction.The levels of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, amylase, lipase and phospholipase A₂ in the blood samples were determined.RESULTS: In the acanthopanax senticosus group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6 were decreased significantly, the activation of serum amylase, lipase, phospholipase A₂ were attenuated significantly.CONCLUSION: Acanthopanacis senticosi has protective effect on AP model through cytokine pathways, within which the inhibitory effects on TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6 and phospholipase A₂ were the most important mechanism.

Key words: acanthopanacis senticosi, acute pancreatitis, phospholipase A₂, cytokine