Panax notoginseng Attenuates Bleomycin‐Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice

Kuen-Daw Tsai,Ho-Yiu Wong,Ting-Hui Lin,Jen-Chih Lee,Min-Jen Tseng,Chuen-Ming Shih,Shu-Mei Yang,Wei Chen

doi:10.1155/2011/404761

Abstract

Panax notoginseng (PN) is a traditional Chinese herb experimentally proven to have anti-inflammatory effects, and it is used clinically for the treatment of atherosclerosis, cerebral infarction, and cerebral ischemia. This study aimed to determine the anti-inflammatory effects of PN against bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. First, in an in vitro study, culture media containing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to stimulate macrophage cells (RAW 264.7 cell line). TNF-α and IL-6 levels were then determined before and after treatment with PN extract. In an animal model (C57BL/6 mice), a single dose of PN (0.5 mg/kg) was administered orally on Day 2 or Day 7 postbleomycin treatment. The results showed that TNF-α and IL-6 levels increased in the culture media of LPS-stimulated macrophage cells, and this effect was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by PN extract. Histopathologic examination revealed that PN administered on Day 7 postbleomycin treatment significantly decreased inflammatory cell infiltrates, fibrosis scores, and TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid when compared with PN given on Day 2 postbleomycin treatment. These results suggest that PN administered in the early fibrotic stage can attenuate pulmonary fibrosis in an animal model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Highlights

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease characterized by progressive and irreversible lung fibrosis, without any known effective therapy [1]
The results showed that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-6 levels increased in the culture media of LPS-stimulated macrophage cells, and this effect was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by Panax notoginseng (PN) extract
Histopathologic examination revealed that PN administered on Day 7 postbleomycin treatment significantly decreased inflammatory cell infiltrates, fibrosis scores, and TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid when compared with PN given on Day 2 postbleomycin treatment

Summary

Introduction

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease characterized by progressive and irreversible lung fibrosis, without any known effective therapy [1]. Myofibroblasts, by secreting ECM molecules, which include fibrillar collagens, fibronectin, elastin, and proteoglycans, play an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis [2, 3]. Inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin (IL), are important in the development of pulmonary fibrosis [8]. Its documented pharmacological effects include anti-inflammatory, haemostatic, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, and estrogen-like activities [11]. A variety of studies have shown PN to have anti-inflammatory activity, probably via COX-2, toll-like receptor, or nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) signaling pathways [12,13,14,15,16,17].

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Conclusion