Therapeutic effect of Chinese medicine formula DSQRL on experimental pulmonary fibrosis.
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a restrictive lung disease that may occur idiopathically or as a complication of many diseases. The outcome of the current treatment by glucocorticoids remains very unsatisfactory. This study has tested a new Chinese medicine formula DSQRL for the treatment of experimental PF in comparison with prednisone. Seventy-two rats with PF induced by CCl(4) were randomly divided into four groups to undertake the treatment of either (a) high dose of prednisone; (b) Chinese medicine formula DSQRL; (c) combined treatment of the above two; or (d) tap water of the same volume. At the end of 30 days treatment, the DSQRL treatment achieved a better outcome (p<0.05) than prednisone in terms of histological examination, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis, hydroxyproline assay and complications. The observations support further investigation and clinical trials of this Chinese medicinal formula for the treatment of PF.
Zhang
Hong-Qi
HQ
School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China. hqzhang@hkbu.edu.hk
Yau
Yu-Fung
YF
Szeto
Kit-Ying
KY
Chan
Wai-Tak
WT
Wong
Jack
J
Li
Min
M
D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D011241:Prednisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D003094:Collagen; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D011241:Prednisone