title: Feitai attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.
abstract: Pulmonary fibrosis is a common consequence of numerous pulmonary diseases. The current therapeutic approaches for this condition are unsatisfactory. Feitai, a composite formula consisting of several herbs, is used in China as a folk remedy for treating patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. In this study, we extensively investigate the effects and mechanisms of Feitai on bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. One hundred and twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, referred to as the saline-water, saline-Feitai, BLM-water, and BLM-Feitai groups. Following a single instillation of BLM (5 mg/kg) or saline, rats were orally administered Feitai at a dose of 3 g/kg body weight or sterilized distilled water once daily. Rats were killed at 7, 14, or 28 d post-BLM. Inflammatory cell count, protein concentration, and lactate dehydrogenase activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured, and myeloperoxidase activity and lipid peroxide content in lung homogenates were analyzed. Treatment with Feitai inhibited lung fibrotic progression induced by BLM, as indicated by the decrease in lung hydroproline content and lung fibrosis score at 28 d post-BLM. This was accompanied by significant amelioration of BLM-induced body weight loss, lung edema, and inflammatory response during the development of lung injury in the acute phase. The results strongly indicate the beneficial effects of Feitai in protecting against BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Furthermore, the inflammatory response and lipid peroxidation were inhibited by Feitai, suggesting that the effect of this formula on BLM-induced lung injury and fibrosis is associated with antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Li-Kun
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Xiang-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Xin-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Lin-Lin
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yong-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiong-Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Fang-Ping
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Cheng-Gang
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D001761:Bleomycin