ObjectiveTo investigate the possible protective effect of zerumbone on pancreatic injury in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rats, and to provide a theoretical basis for prevention and treatmen of severe acute pancreatitis. MethodsSeventy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups:normal control group (NC group, n=10), SAP group (n=40), Zerumbone pretreatment group (ZER group, n=10), and Zerumbone drug control group (ZER-CON group, n=10). Rats of SAP group were divided into four time points of 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, and 12 h (n=10 each time point). SAP models were induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate (0.1 mL/100 g) in biliopancreatic duct in SAP group and ZER group. Rats were injected isotonic saline solution instead of taurocholate as a control in NC group and ZER-CON group. Zerumbone solution (10 mg/kg) was administered via femoral vein half an hour prior to establishing models in ZER group and ZER-CON group. All rats except SAP group were sacrificed at 12 h time point after the induction of SAP. The rats in SAP group were sacrificed at 1 h, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h and 12 h time point after induction of SAP. The mortality, ascites, serum amylase (AMY), phospholipase, and pathological examination of pancreas were observated or detected. The expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 in pancreatic tissues was evaluated by immunohistochemistry assay. ResultsThere were no difference of the levels of mortality, ascites, serum AMY, phospholipase, pathological examination, and NF-κB p65 location expression of pancreas between the ZER-CON group and NC group (P>0.05). The above indexes in SAP group were significantly higher than those in NC group (P<0.05). However, those in ZER group were significantly lower than in SAP group (P<0.05), and higher than in NC group (P<0.05). ConclusionsZerumbone can reduce the mortality and ascites, effectively alleviate the enzyme, pathological injury, and NF-κB p65 location expression in pancreatic tissue following SAP. It may indicate that zerumbone can protect pancreatic injury in SAP via NF-κB pathway.