RETRACTED ARTICLE: Carvacrol and PPAR\u03b3 agonist, pioglitazone, affects inhaled paraquat-induced lung injury in rats

Fatemeh Amin,Arghavan Memarzia,Hamid Reza Kazerani,Hamideh Kazemi Rad,Mohammad Hossein Boskabady

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-87546-8

Abstract

Exposed rats to normal saline and paraquat (PQ) aerosol as control and PQ group, rats exposed to PQ and treated with 20 and 80 mg/kg/day carvacrol, 5 and 10 mg/kg/day pioglitazone, low dose of pioglitazone + carvacrol and 0.03 mg/kg/day dexamethasone (Dexa) for 16 days after the end of PQ exposure were studied (n = 6 in each group). Lung pathological changes, tracheal responsiveness to methacholine and ovalbumin (OVA) as well as transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and interleukin (IL)-6 level in the lung tissue homogenize as well as TGF-β, IL-6, oxidant and antioxidant levels oxidant and antioxidants were increased in PQ group (p < 0.01 to p < 0.001). Lung pathological changes, tracheal responsiveness to methacholine and OVA as well as TGF-β, IL-6 oxidant and antioxidant levels were improved in all treated groups except lung pathological changes in treated group with low dose of pioglitazone (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). The effects of low dose of pioglitazone and carvacrol alone were significantly lower than in the combination group of low dose of pioglitazone + carvacrol (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). Carvacrol treatment improved inhaled PQ-induced lug injury similar to the effects of dexamethasone. The synergic effect of carvacrol and pioglitazone suggests PPAR-γ receptor mediated effects of carvacrol on inhaled PQ-induced lung injury.

Highlights

Exposed rats to normal saline and paraquat (PQ) aerosol as control and PQ group, rats exposed to PQ and treated with 20 and 80 mg/kg/day carvacrol, 5 and 10 mg/kg/day pioglitazone, low dose of pioglitazone + carvacrol and 0.03 mg/kg/day dexamethasone (Dexa) for 16 days after the end of PQ exposure were studied (n = 6 in each group)
The aims of the present study are exploring the potential effects of carvacrol and PPARγ agonist on the lung injury induced by inhaled PQ and their possible synergic effects in male Wistar rats
The lung’s wet weight significantly decreased in all treated groups and lung dry weight only in groups treated with a combination of Pio-5 + C-20 and dexamethasone compared to the PQ group (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01), (Fig. 1A, B)

Summary

Introduction

Tracheal responsiveness to methacholine and OVA as well as TGF-β, IL-6 oxidant and antioxidant levels were improved in all treated groups except lung pathological changes in treated group with low dose of pioglitazone (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). Studies have reported improvement of tracheal responsiveness, inflammatory mediators, and total plus differential WBC12, serum cytokines and endothelin levels[13], and lung pathological changes, immunoglobulin E (IgE) and eosinophil peroxidase levels in the B ALF14, serum levels of total protein, in guinea pigs model of asthma as well as various cytokine gene e xpressions[15] and T helper cells subtypes along with their cytokine gene e xpression[16] in the splenocytes of asthmatic mice with carvacrol treatment. The aims of the present study are exploring the potential effects of carvacrol and PPARγ agonist (pioglitazone) on the lung injury induced by inhaled PQ and their possible synergic effects in male Wistar rats

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion