title: Panax notoginseng Attenuates Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Beigang Hospital, Yunlin 651, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuen-Daw
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Shu-Mei
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jen-Chih
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho-Yiu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Chuen-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Ting-Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Min-Jen
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen