Inhibitory effect of cistanches phenylethanol glycosides on lipopolysasccharide-induced acute lung injury in rats / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE To study the effect of Cistanches phenylethanol glycosides (CPhGs) on acute lung injury in rats and the possible mechanism of action. METHODS Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into six groups Normal control group, model group (lipopolysasccharide (LPS) 3 mg·kg-1], dexamethasone (Dex) positive control group (model+ Dex 2 mg·kg-1), model + CPhGs 125, 250 and 500 mg·kg-1 with 10 rats in each group. Each dose group of CPhGs was ig administered every day for 30 d, and the other three groups were ig administered with the same volume of distilled water for 30 d. The mode+Dex 2 mg·kg-1 group was ig given Dex 2 mg·kg-11 h before modeling. The rat model of acute lung injury was established after the rats in the other groups were intubated by the breath tube. Three hours after modeling, the rats were sacrificed by blood sampling from the abdominal aorta. The percentage of neutrophils in the whole blood, the activity of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) activity and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) were detected. The contents of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6 in alveolar lavage fluid were detected. The wet/dry mass ratio (W/D) of the middle lobe of the right lung was calculated and the histopathological changes of the posterior lobe of the right lung were observed by HE staining. RESULTS Compared with normal control group, the percentage of neutrophils in the whole blood, W/D in the middle lobe of the right lung, the contents of MDA and NO in the serum were increased (P<0.05), but SOD, GSH, TNF-α and IL-6 were decreased in the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the percentage of neutrophils in the whole blood and W/D in right middle lobe of the right lung in the group of model+CPhGs 500 mg·kg-1 was decreased (P<0.05), but the contents of TNF-α and IL-6 in alveolar lavage fluid of rats decreased significantly, and histopathological observation showed that inflammation was alleviated to varying degrees. The activities of SOD and GSH in rat serum of the model + CPhGs 500 mg·kg-1 group were increased significantly (P<0.05), while the contents of MDA and NO were decreased significantly (P<0.05). CONCLUSION CPhGs have a protective effect against acute lung injury induced by LPS in rats, and its mechanism may be related to its antioxidant effect, alleviation of pulmonary edema and reduction of the release of inflammatory factors.