SALUTARY ACTIVITY OF BERBERINE AGAINST DIBUTYLTIN DICHLORIDE INDUCED ACUTE PANCREATITIS IN ALBINO WISTAR RATS

Background: Berberine is a natural alkaloid used as traditional Chinese medicine. Objective: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of berberine on dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC) induced acute pancreatitis in albino Wistar rats. Methods: In this study 24 Wistar rats were randomly selected and divided into four groups. Each group consists of 6 animals. Group-1 (-ve control), Group 2 (+ve control or disease control), Group 3 (Berberine 50 mg/kg p.o), Group 4 (Berberine 100 mg/kg, p.o). Acute pancreatitis was induced with dibutyltin dichloride at a single dose of 6mg/kg body weight i.p to all the groups except negative control. At 3^rd day, serum amylase and lipase levels were elevated in all groups except negative control meanwhile rats were treated with berberine up to 28 days. The estimation of blood parameters and tissue parameters was carried out by the auto-analyzer. Results: Berberine treated groups significantly reduce elevated serum parameters, and significantly increase the tissue antioxidant parameters to normal. Serum parameters like serum amylase, lipase, fasting blood glucose levels, liver function parameters, CRP and total protein content were calculated. Tissue antioxidant parameters, MDA, Protein carbonyl levels were significantly reduced to normal in berberine treated groups when compared with positive control or disease control. Histopathological study of the pancreas was also carried out. Conclusion: Berberine at a dose of 100 mg/kg p.o., could effectively normalize the serum biochemical parameters, antioxidant parameters when compared to the disease control and berberine at a dose of 50 mg/kg treated rats.