OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and organ injury, and the effect of Salviae Miltiorrhizae on iNOS mRNA in severe acute pancreas (SAP) rats.

METHODSForty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, the model group (MG), the Salviae Miltiorrhizae group (SMG), and the control group (CG), with 15 rats in each group. Rats in MG and SMG were established to SAP model by intraductal injection with 5% sodium taurocholate in a dose of 1.0 ml/kg, while rats in CG were merely performed sham-operation. Immediately after modeling, rats in SMG were injected with Salviae Miltiorrhizae injection (SMI) 2 ml/kg every 6 h for 4 times in total, but to rats in other two groups same volume of normal saline were administered. The level of serum amylase (AMY), nitric oxide (NO) and the volume of ascites of rats were determined 24h after modeling, and intensity of iNOS mRNA expression in pancreas, lung and kidney were detected in the same time using in situ hybridization and image analysis. The pathologic change was observed as well.

RESULTSThe volume of ascites and serum levels of AMY and NO in MG were significantly higher then those in SMG and CG (P < 0.05 and P <0.01). The expression of iNOS mRNA in pancreas, lung and kidney increased in MG and SMG, it was significantly higher in MG than that in SMG. And the pathological change of pancreas, lung and kidney in SMG was milder than that in MG.

CONCLUSIONSOver-expression of iNOS mRNA could cause excessive synthesis of NO, and lead to injury of pancreas, lung and kidney in SAP. Salviae Miltiorrhizae in early stage of the disease can inhibit the over-expression of iNOS mRNA to ameliorate the injury of the pancreas, lung and kidney.