Alpinia officinarum Hance extract alleviates particulate matter-induced lung injury in mice

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Alpinia officinarum Hance (A. officinarum) extract on lung injury caused by particulate matter (PM). Methods: The Kunming mice were intranasally instilled with PM and treated with A. officinarum extract for 3 weeks. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, blood and lung samples were collected for biochemical, serological and histopathological studies. Results: Serological analysis showed that albumin levels, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activities in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were significantly reduced after administrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of A. officinarum extracts to the PM injured mice. Markers of oxidative stress, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde levels and nitric oxide synthase activities, were significantly decreased. Correspondingly, total superoxide dismutase activity was improved dramatically. The expressions of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were also down-regulated obviously. In addition, pathological sections of lung tissue showed that A. officinarum could reduce the infiltration of inflammatory cells, pulmonary edema and pulmonary fibrosis. These results showed that A. officinarum extract could alleviate PM-induced lung injury via reducing the permeability of cell membranes in lung tissue, eliminating oxidative stress and relieving inflammatory response. Conclusions: A. officinarum extract was an efficient treatment for PM-induced lung injury ir mice, and it may be a promising therapeutic agent in future.