ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of gambogic acid ( GA) on lipopolysaccharide ( LPS)-induced acute lung injury ( ALI) .Methods ALI model was established by the injection of lipopolysaccharide into the tail vein of mice(4mg/kg, iv).The mice were randomly divided into control group (control), model group (model), GA group(GA), and pretreatment with GA of ALI group (GA+LPS).After six hours, the wet/dry weight ratio ( W/D) of the lung, myeloperoxidase ( MPO) activity in lung tissue , total proteins and number of white blood cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid ( BALF) were determined .Tumor necrosis factor-α( TNF-α) and interleukin-1β( IL-1β) were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods .Results Compared with control group, the wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) of the lung, MPO activity in lung tissue, levels of total pro-teins and number of white blood cells in BALF of LPS group obviously increased , in addition the level of lung tissue TNF-αand IL-1βin LPS group were significantly higher (all P<0.01), while in GA pretreatment groups alleviated all the changes in ALI mice .Conclusions GA pre-treatment attenuated LPS-induced ALI , possibly by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines production so as to decrease the recruitment of neutrophils , reduce pulmonary edema .