Effect of Sarcandrae on radiation pneumonnopathy in miniature pigs

Abstract

Objective To explore the effect and underlying mechanism of Sarcandra glabra Nakai on radiation pneumonnopathy in miniature pigs irradiated with 60Co γ-rays.Methods Totally 60 miniature pigs were randomly divided into blank control group,irradiated group with 15 Gy of 60Co γ-rays,and intervention group administered with Sarcandra glabra Nakai at the dosage of 0.3 g/kg before 15 Gy irradiation.At 4,8,12 and 24 weeks post-irradiation,the respiratory rate and weight were observed,and a portion of the right lung tissue was taken out to conduct HE and Masson staining examination,while the expressions of TGF-β1 and TNF-α as well as the content of hydroxyproline (HP) were detected.Results The respiratory rate,the lung coefficient and the content of HP in the irradiated group showed an increasing trend at 4,8,12 and 24 weeks post-irradiation and significantly higher than those in other two groups (F =21.035,146.014,32.610,P ＜ 0.05).Those indicators were indistinguishable between the control group and intervention group at 4 and 8 weeks post-irradiation (F =0.055,2.456,5.581,P ＞ 0.05),while the indicators of the irradiation group were significantly higher than that of intervention group (F =91.897,93.149,83.487,P ＜0.05) at 12 and 24 weeks post-irradiation.The pulmonary histopathological results showed that no inflammatory response or fibrosis was found in the control group and intervention TGF-β1 and TNF-α in the intervention group were negatively expressed at 4 and 8 weeks post-irradiation and had low expressions at 12 and 24 weeks post-irradiation which was lower than that of the irradiated group.Conclusions Sarcandrae has protective effect against radiation-induced lung injury in miniature pigs probably by inhibiting the expressions of TNF-α and HP. Key words: Sarcandra glabra Nakai; Miniature pigs; Radiation pneumonnopathy; Transforming growth factor-β1 ; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Hydroxyproline