Visnagin, an antioxidant furanocoumarin derivative, possess anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Visnagin has substantial potential to prevent Cerulein induced acute pancreatitis (AP). Visnagin possess promising vasodilator effects in vascular smooth muscles[2].In Vitro: Visnagin (10 μM; for 4, 8, 16, 24 h) induces CYP1A1 transcription in HepG2 cells.
Visnagin (10 μM; for 16 h) elevates CYP1B1 gene expression in an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)-dependent manner, whereas MNF (3’-methoxy-4’-nitroflavone; 20 μM; pre-treated for 1 h) successfully counteracted this induction. Visnagin also enhances PAI-2 transcription in an AHR-dependent manner.
In Vivo: Visnagin (10, 30, 60 mg/kg; ip; for 7 days) is effective in reducing plasma amylase and lipase levels and reduces Cerulein (50 μg/kg, six, hourly i.p. injections) induced oxidative stress in male Swiss albino mice (age: 6-8 weeks, weighing 20-25 g).
Visnagin dose dependently decreases the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-17. It attenuates the levels of nuclear p65-NFκB. Visnagin improves the antioxidant defence by improving Nrf2 expression and halts pancreatic inflammation by suppressing NFκB and nitrotyrosine expression in the acinar cells.