Tectorigenin inhibits the inflammation of LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice.

In a previous study, the anti-inflammatory effects of tectorigenin were disclosed. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of tectorigenin on acute lung injury using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model were investigated The cell-count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was measured. The animal lung edema degree was evaluated by the wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio. The superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activity and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was assayed using SOD and MPO kits, respectively. The levels of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-1β, and IL-6 were assayed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Pathological changes of lung tissues were observed through HE staining. The inflammatory signal pathway related protein nuclear factor NF-κB p65 mRNA expression was measured by real-time PCR, and the protein level of NF-κB p65 was measured using Western blotting analysis. The data showed that treatment with the tectorigenin markedly attenuated the inflammatory cell numbers in the BALF, decreased nuclear factor NF-κB p65 mRNA level and protein level in the lungs, and improved SOD activity and inhibited MPO activity. Histological studies showed that tectorigenin substantially inhibited LPS-induced neutrophils in lung tissue compared with the model group. The results indicated that tectorigenin had a protective effect on LPS-induced ALI in mice.

Ma CH ，Liu JP ，Qu R ，Ma SP ... -  《-》

Ginkgo biloba extracts attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in acute lung injury by inhibiting the COX-2 and NF-κB pathways.

In the present study, we analyzed the role of Ginkgo biloba extract in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). ALI was induced in mice by intratracheal instillation of LPS. G. biloba extract (12 and 24 mg·kg(-1)) and dexamethasone (2 mg·kg(-1)), as a positive control, were given by i.p. injection. The cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were counted. The degree of animal lung edema was evaluated by measuring the wet/dry weight ratio. The superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities were assayed by SOD and MPO kits, respectively. The levels of inflammatory mediators, tumor necrosis factor-a, interleukin-1b, and interleukin-6, were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pathological changes of lung tissues were observed by H&E staining. The levels of NF-κB p65 and COX-2 expression were detected by Western blotting. Compared to the LPS group, the treatment with the G. biloba extract at 12 and 24 mg·kg(-1) markedly attenuated the inflammatory cell numbers in the BALF, decreased NF-κB p65 and COX-2 expression, and improved SOD activity, and inhibited MPO activity. The histological changes of the lungs were also significantly improved. The results indicated that G. biloba extract has a protective effect on LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice. The protective mechanism of G. biloba extract may be partly attributed to the inhibition of NF-κB p65 and COX-2 activation.

Yao X ，Chen N ，Ma CH ，Tao J ，Bao JA ，Zong-Qi C ，Chen ZT ，Miao LY ... -  《-》

Anti-inflammatory effects of water extract of Taraxacum mongolicum hand.-Mazz on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in acute lung injury by suppressing PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz is a famous medicinal plant in China, has been listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China and used to treat infection, fever, upper respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, and other infectious diseases. This study aims to evaluate the possible mechanisms responsible for the anti-inflammation effects of water extract of T. mongolicum Hand.-Mazz (WETMHM) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory in acute lung injury. Female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups with 10 mice in each group: (1) control group (saline), (2) LPS group, (3) LPS+dexamethasone (LPS+Dex, 2mg/kg, administered by gavage), (4) LPS+WETMHM (5 g/kg, administered by gavage), (5) LPS+WETMHM (10 g/kg, administered by gavage). The cell counting in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was measured. The animal lung edema degree was evaluated by wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio. The superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activity and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were assayed by SOD and MPO kits, respectively. The levels of inflammation mediators including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 were assayed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Pathological changes of lung tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The levels of P-PI3K, PI3K, P-Akt, Akt, P-mTOR and mTOR were measured by Western blotting. The data showed that treatment with the WETMHM inhibited LPS-induced inflammation: (1) WETMHM attenuated inflammation cell numbers in the BALF, (2) decreased protein levels of lung PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and (3) improved SOD activity and (4) inhibited MPO activity; (5) histological studies demonstrated that WETMHM substantially inhibited LPS-induced neutrophils in lung tissue. The results indicated that the WETMHM had a protective effect on LPS-induced ALI in mice.

Ma C ，Zhu L ，Wang J ，He H ，Chang X ，Gao J ，Shumin W ，Yan T ... -  《-》

Sangxingtang inhibits the inflammation of LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice by down-regulating the MAPK/NF-κB pathway.

In the present study, we investigated anti-inflammatory effects of Sangxingtang (SXT) on acute lung injury using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model. The cell counting in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was performed. The degree of lung edema was evaluated by measuring the wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio. The superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities were assayed by SOD and MPO kits, respectively. The levels of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were assayed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods. Pathological changes of lung tissues were observed by Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The inflammatory signaling pathway-related proteins nuclear factor mitogen activated protein kinases (P38MAPK), extracellular regulated protein kinases (Erk), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (Jnk) and nuclear transcription factor (NF-κB) p65 expressions were measured by Western blotting. Our results showed that the treatment with the SXT markedly attenuated the inflammatory cell numbers in the BALF, decreased the levels of P-P38MAPK, P-Erk, P-Jnk and P-NF-κB p65 and the total protein levels in lungs, improved the SOD activity and inhibited the MPO activity. Histological studies demonstrated that SXT substantially reduced the LPS-induced neutrophils in lung tissues, compared with the untreated LPS group. In conclusion, our results indicated that SXT had protective effects on LPS-induced ALI in mice.

Zhang TZ ，Yang SH ，Yao JF ，Du J ，Yan TH ... -  《-》

Preventive and therapeutic effects of Danhong injection on lipopolysaccharide induced acute lung injury in mice.

Danhong injection (DHI), a Chinese Materia Medica standardized product extracted from Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., Labiatae, Danshen in Chinese) and Flos Carthami (Carthamus tinctorius L., Compositae, Honghua in Chinese), has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-fibrinolytic properties, which is used extensively for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in clinic. The present study aimed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of DHI on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. Lung injury was induced by intranasal instillation with 10 μg LPS. Mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control group; LPS group; LPS+5 ml/kg DHI group and LPS+10 ml/kg DHI group. The effects of DHI on LPS-induced neutrophils influx, inflammatory cytokines release, protein leakage, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) level were examined. In addition, the NF-κB activation in lung tissues was detected by Western blot. In LPS challenged mice, DHI significantly reduced the infiltration of activated neutrophils and decreased the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). DHI also inhibited protein extravasation in BALF, attenuated edema and the pathological changes in the lung. In addition, DHI markedly prevented LPS-induced elevation of MDA and MPO levels, as well as reduction of SOD activity. Further study demonstrated that DHI effectively inhibited the NF-κB activation in lung tissues. DHI has been demonstrated to protect mice from LPS induced acute lung injury by its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities.

Wan LM ，Tan L ，Wang ZR ，Liu SX ，Wang YL ，Liang SY ，Zhong JB ，Lin HS ... -  《-》