ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE To observe the protective effect and underlying mechanism of total ginsenosides (TG) on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. METHODS Intratracheal instillation of bleomycin 5 mg · kg-1 was conducted to establish a pulmonary fibrosis mouse model. Kunming mice(1/2 males and 1/2 females)were randomly divided into sham-operation(Sham),model,total ginsen?osides 40,80 and 160 mg·kg-1 and prednisone acetate(5 mg·kg-1) groups. After 28 d administration,the histopathological changes in the lung were analyzed by hematoxylin eosin(HE)and Masson staining. The exprssion of alpha smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)in the lung was detected by real-time PCR. The content of hydroxyproline(HYP)and glutathione(GSH),level of total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC)and hydroxy radical(·OH),activity of myeloperoxidase(MPO)and nitric oxide synthase(NOS)in the lung were detected by corresponding kits. RESULTS Compared with the sham group,the pulmonary indexes in model group were significantly increased(P<0.01),alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis were obvious. The mRNA expression ofα-SMA,content of HYP and · OH,activity of MPO and NOS were increased(P<0.05),but the content of GSH and T-AOC in model group was decreased(P<0.05). Compared with model group,the pulmonary indexes in TG 80 and 160 mg · kg-1 and prednisone acetate 5 mg · kg-1 groups were reduced(P<0.05),and the degree of alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis was mitigated. The mRNA expression ofα-SMA,content of HYP and · OH, the activity of MPO and NO were decreased (P<0.05),while the content of GSH and T-AOC was increased(P<0.05). CONCLUSION TG can improve the degree of mice pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin. The mechanism may be related to the increased antioxidant capacity of organisms.