Abstract
Introduction: Nicotine (NIC), the chief alkaloid in tobacco, believed to be an active agent responsible for lungassociated diseases. This protocol targeted to analyze the ameliorating effect of agmatine (AG) on NIC induced lung damage. Mateiral and methods: Forty-five adult male rats were divided into: Control group received intraperitoneal (IP) injection of distilled water, 2) NIC group recieved NIC (10 mg/kg/day) IP and 3) (NIC+AG) group treated by AG (10 mg/kg/day) orally+NIC (10 mg/kg/day) by IP injection for 9 weeks. Total serum protein, triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM- 1) were estimated. Lung specimens were prepared and stained with H&E, Masson trichrome and immunehistochemical stains for assessment of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and Bax. Morphometric study followed by statistical analysis were done. Results: NIC group showed elevation in serum levels of total protein, TC, LDL-C, TGs, MDA and VCAM-1 with evident diminishing in the serum levels of HDL-C, SOD, and GSH. Apoptosis and damage of alveolar epithelium and bronchiolar cells, marked fibrosis, inflammatory cell infiltrate and congestion of blood vessels were observed. Marked increase in the mean alveolar wall thickness, mean area% of collagen fibers deposition, mean area% of TGFβ1 immuno-expression and mean number of Bax immune positive cells while a decrease in the mean linear intercept were detected. AG co-administered with nicotine ameliorated these biochemical, histopathological and morphometric changes. Conclusion: AG ameliorates NIC induced lung damage in rats through improving the biochemical parameters and by decreasing TGF-s1 and Bax immunoexpression.
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