Synergistic protection of matrine and lycopene against lipopolysaccharide­induced acute lung injury in mice.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally, and is characterized by widespread inflammation in the lungs. Increased production of reactive oxygen species is hypothesized to be associated with ALI. Matrine and lycopene are active products present in traditional Chinese medicine. Matrine is an effective inhibitor of inflammation, whereas lycopene decreases lipid peroxidation. Therefore, it was hypothesized that combinatorial treatment with matrine and lycopene may provide synergistic protection against ALI. In the present study, mice were treated with dexamethasone (DEX; 5 mg/kg), matrine (25 mg/kg), lycopene (100 mg/kg), and matrine (25 mg/kg) + lycopene (100 mg/kg) for 7 days prior to injury induction using lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 5 mg/kg) for 6 h. Lung tissues were collected following the sacrifice of the mice and hematoxylin and eosin staining was used for histological analysis. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and myeloperoxidas (MPO) levels were examined by respective kits. The expressions of interleukin­6 (IL­6) and tumor necrosis factor­α (TNF­α) were evaluated by ELISA. The expressions of IκBα and NF­κB p65 were examined by reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The results indicated that the combined treatment exhibited a similar effect to DEX, both of which attenuated lung structural injuries, downregulated the expressions of IL­6, TNF­α, MPO and MDA, and upregulated that of GSH. Furthermore, the combined treatment and DEX inhibited NF­κB p65 activation. The present study revealed that combined treatment with matrine and lycopene exhibited protective effects on an LPS­induced mouse model of ALI, suggesting that they may serve as a potential alternative to glucocorticoid therapy for ALI.

[Influence of recombined human growth hormone on sIgA and EGF in rats with obstructive jaundice].

AIM: To study the effect of the recombined human growth hormone(rhGH) on secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), epidermal growth factor (EGF) in rats with obstructive jaundice. METHODS: Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, sham-operated (group A), common biliary duct-ligated (group B), biliary duct-ligated plus rhGH-treat for one week (group C), biliary duct-ligated plus rhGH-treat for two weeks (group D), each group had 15 rats. Except group A, the rats of other groups were operated with biliary duct-ligated. Until two weeks after operation, the rats of group A and B were killed. After operation, the rats of group C were treated with rhGH hypodermic injection (0.75 U x kg(-1) x d(-1)) for one week, and then killed. The rats of D group were treated with rhGH hypodermic injection (0.75 U x kg(-1) x d(-1)) for two weeks, and then killed. All procedures were performed aseptically. Total bilirubin (TB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), prealbumin(PA), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), sIgA, EGF were measured. RESULTS: Compared with group A, in group B, C, D, serum level of PA, IGF-1 and sIgA, EGF level of gastric and intestinal juice were lower, but TB, ALP were higher, there were significant difference. Compared with group B, the rats with treatment of rhGH in group C and D had higher sIgA and EGF and lower intestinal bacterial translocation. CONCLUSION: In objective jaundice rats, rhGH can protect their hepatic function, intestinal physical-barrier function and immune-barrier function, and reduce intestinal bacterial translocation.