Effect of Bufei Granules on the Levels of Serum Inflammatory Markers in Rats with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Stable Phase

Abstract

Objective To observe the effect of Bufei Granules on the levels of serum inflammatory markers in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) stable phase. Methods 60 health male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group (CG, n = 24) and the COPD stable phase model group (MG, n = 36). The rats in the CG breathed the fresh air for 30 days. However the rats in the MG were given by cigarette smoke 30 min daily for 30 days and we also instilled the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into their airways on the 1st and the 14th day during the period. After that, we selected 12 rats from the two groups respectively to assess whether the COPD stable phase rat model was made successfully or not by observing the pathological slices of the lung tissue, and to detect the levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) by the method of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Then the 24 rats remained in the MG were divided into the control treatment group (CTG) and the Bufei Granules intervention group (BGIG) randomly, 12 rats each group. Hereafter, the rats in the CG and the CTG were given by saline, and the rats in the BGIG were treated by Bufei Granules solution. Treatment lasted for 90 days. At last, we used ELISA to detect the levels of serum IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and hs-CRP in the rats. Results: We could find the pathological features of chronic bronchitis and emphysema in pathological slices of the lung tissue in the MG, and the levels of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and hs-CRP in the MG were higher (P < 0.05) than those in the CG. After treatment, the serum levels of IL-8, TNF-α and hs-CRP lowered significantly (P < 0.05) in the BGIG. Conclusions: Bufei Granules might be an effective drug to mitigate the severity of inflammation in COPD stable phase.