Effect of ambroxol on the concentration of cefotaxime in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of rats with pulmonary fibrosis

Feng Chen,Cai-Qing Zhang,Yuan-Xia Zhang

doi:10.3892/etm.2014.2112

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of ambroxol on the concentration of cefotaxime in the bronchioalveolar lavage fluid of rats with bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. A total of 54 Wistar male rats were randomly divided into three groups, namely the normal control group, model group and ambroxol group. On experimental day 0, the rats were intratracheally instilled with bleomycin (5 mg/kg body weight) or sterile saline. The rats in the ambroxol group were then treated with ambroxol (35 mg/kg/day) intraperitoneally. On days 7, 14, 28 after instillation, six rats from each group were sacrificed, bronchial alveolar fluids were recovered and the lungs were collected for histopathological examination following the injection of cefotaxime (600 mg/kg) intravenously. The concentration of cefotaxime in the bronchial alveolar fluids was assayed by a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. On day 7, the concentration of cefotaxime in the bronchial alveolar fluid of the ambroxol group was lower than that of the model group. On day 14, the concentration of cefotaxime in the bronchial alveolar fluids of the ambroxol group was higher than that of the model group, and the difference between these groups was significant statistically (P<0.001). On day 28, the concentration of cefotaxime in the bronchial alveolar fluids of the ambroxol group decreased sharply, and was lower than that of the model group (P=0.126). These results indicate that ambroxol increased the concentration of cefotaxime in the bronchial alveolar fluids at the primary fibrosis stage.

Highlights

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common specific form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia
On day 7, under a light microscope, the model group displayed moderate to severe alveolitis, but only mild alveolitis was observed on day 28
Fibrosis began from day 14 in the model group, and progressively developed until day 28, when it reached a peak (Fig. 1)

Summary

Introduction

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common specific form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. It is a chronic, progressive and irreversible lung disease with unknown cause and is usually fatal. The mean survival time for diagnosed patients is 2.5 to 3.5 years [4]; the survival period is short and the mortality rate is high. Heart failure, bronchial cancer, infection and pulmonary embolism are significant causes of mortality in patients with IPF [5,6,7,8]. IPF complicated by infection can cause respiratory function to decline [4], which may lead to exacerbations and further reduce the arterial oxygen pressure. Active control of infection should help to improve lung function and reduce mortality

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