ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effects of berberine on ICAM-1, VCAM-1 expression and inflammatory cells exudation in mice with viral pneumonia caused by influenza virus, and explore its anti-injury effect. Methods Totally 108 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, and berberine group. 25 μL 50 LD50 influenza virus, mouse lung-adapted strain, was intranasally inoculated to model group and berberine group. 1 h after infection, control and model group were intragastrically given 25 μL distilled water, berberine group was treated by intraperitoneal injection with berberine at a dose of 0.005 g/(kg·d) for 5 days, twice per day. On day 2, 4 and 6 after infection, immunocytochemical method was used to detect ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression, and sorting cell count of leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were counted. Results The expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in model group increased obviously on day 2, 4, 6, and which in berberine group decreased compared with model group (P<0.01). WBC, mononuclear cell, eosinophile cell and neutrophil cell number in model group increased significantly. WBC and neutrophil cell number decreased in berberine group on day 6 (P<0.01), and the mononuclear cell number decreased on day 4 (P<0.01). Conclusion Berberine inhibited the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, and decreased the inflammatory cells exudation in lung of mice with viral pneumonia caused by influenza virus. Berberine has protective effect on inflammatory injury of lung tissue in mice with viral pneumonia caused by influenza virus.