Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine

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Preclinical Meta-analysis of Astragalus and Its ingredients in Acute Pancreatitis

CAO Xingxin1(), LI Aiyi2, HOU Jinghan1, LI Mingxue1, LI Yanyan1, JIN Weihua1, YANG Fengmei1, DUAN Suqin1, HE Zhanlong1()()   

  1. 1.Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Kunming 650018, China
    2.College of Life Sciences, Yunnan university, Kunming 650091, China
  • Online:2025-05-15
  • Contact: HE Zhanlong

Abstract:

Objective This meta-analysis of preclinical studies evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of Astragalus and its bioactive constituents in acute pancreatitis (AP) and summarize their underlying mechanisms. Methods PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wang Fan, VIP and CBM were searched for preclinical studies on Astragalus and its ingredients in the treatment of AP until March 2025. Meta-analysis was performed after screening and evaluation, 19 animal experiments were included in this study. Results According to Meta-analysis results, Astragalus injection reduces serum amylase (AMS), a specific marker of AP [SMD=-4.30, 95%CI (-6.78 ~ -1.83)]. The components of Astragalus can reduce levels of AMS [SMD=-7.56, 95%CI(-9.84 ~ -5.28)] and lipase (LPS) [SMD=-7.07, 95%CI(-10.20 ~ -3.94)]. Astragalus acts on inflammatory mediators, reducing levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) [SMD=-7.72, 95%CI(-10.20 ~ -5.25)], interleukin-6 (IL-6) [SMD=-10.14, 95%CI(-13.76 ~ -6.52)], and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) [SMD=-15.11, 95%CI(-24.27 ~ -5.96)], while increasing levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) [SMD=4.49, 95%CI (3.49 ~ 5.49)]. At the same time, it increases the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) [SMD=4.16, 95%CI(2.74 ~ 5.59)] and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) [SMD=4.86, 95%CI(1.25 ~ 8.47)], while reducing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) [SMD=-5.54, 95%CI (-7.59 ~ -3.50)]. In addition to MDA [SMD=-1.31, 95%CI(-3.35 ~ 0.73], high-dose Astragalus and its components significantly reduced AMS [SMD=-6.52, 95%CI(-10.06 ~ -2.98)], TNF-α [SMD=-3.18, 95%CI(-5.08 ~ -1.28)], and IL-6 levels [SMD=-2.87, 95%CI(-3.68 ~ -2.06)] while increasing SOD activity [SMD=1.45, 95%CI(0.26 ~ 2.64)] compared to low-dose groups. Conclusion Astragalus injection and its bioactive ingredients demonstrate efficacy in decreasing the pathognomonic markers of AP including AMS and LPS in animal experiments. Based on the analytical results, it exerts modulatory effects on specific inflammatory mediators by decreasing TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β levels and increasing IL-10. It currently interferes the oxidative/antioxidant equilibrium by elevating SOD and GSH-PX activities while reducing MDA levels. In addition to mitigating MDA levels, Astragalus and its active components exhibited dose-dependent reductions in AMS, TNF-α, and IL-6 concentrations alongside elevation of SOD activity. However, methodological limitations including significant heterogeneity among studies, potential publication bias, and translational challenges arising from discrepancies between preclinical models and human pathophysiology necessitate further rigorous investigation.

Key words: Astragalus, Acute Pancreatitis, Animal experiment, Meta-analysis, Randomized controlled trails

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