Objective: To investigate the effects of Hejie Lishi formula on rat alcohol chronic pancreatitis (ACP) through inhibiting apoptosis of pancreatic acinar cells. Method: Thirty animals were divided into two groups. Model group of 24 animals was established by feeding Lieber-De-Carli Liquid diet after 14 weeks. Normal group of 6 animals was given general diet. The model animals were injected 1.5

1.5

2.0

2.5

3 mg·kg-1 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into caudal vein for five times at 8 weeks

once per one week. The model group was divided into control and different concentrations (21.7

10.85

5.425 g·kg-1) of Hejie Lishi formula group at 10 weeks. Then Hejie Lishi formula was given 4 weeks and once per day by ig. After treatment for 4 weeks

all rats were executed. The pathological changes of pancreas

apoptosis and its associated proteins were detected in pancreatic tissue. Moreover

apoptosis and cell growth were observed in AR42J cells with serum contained drug treatment. Result: There were inflammatory cell infiltration

bleeding and pancreatic acinar cell shedding in control group

compared with normal. Compared to control

Hejie Lishi formula decreased inflammatory cell infiltration and pancreatic acinar cell shedding (P<0.05). The high concentration of Hejie Lishi formula reduced apoptosis (P<0.05) and inhibited the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9

increased the level of Bcl-2 and decreased the expression of Bax. The ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax in the high concentration of Hejie Lishi formula is 1.5-fold higher than control group. Compared with 30% normal rats serum

30% containing Hejie Lishi formula serum enhanced pancreatic acinar cell growth (P<0.05). Apoptosis was reduced 32.66% by containing Hejie Lishi formula serum. Conclusion: High concentration of Hejie Lishi formula may prevent inflammatory and injury of pancreatic cells in ACP of rat. The mechanism may be involved in reducing apoptosis of pancreatic acinar cells through down-regulating caspase-3

-9 activities and bax expression

and up-regulating Bcl-2 expression.