title: Clearance of free silica in rat lungs by spraying with chinese herbal kombucha.
abstract: The effects of spraying with kombucha and Chinese herbal kombucha were compared with treatments with tetrandrine in a rat silicosis model. Silica dust (50 mg) was injected into the lungs of rats, which were then treated with one of the experimental treatments for a month. The rats were then killed and the effects of the treatments were evaluated by examining the extent and severity of the histopathological lesions in the animals' lungs, measuring their organ coefficients and lung collagen contents, determining the dry and wet weights of their lungs, and measuring the free silica content of the dried lungs. In addition, lavage was performed on whole lungs taken from selected rats, and the numbers and types of cells in the lavage fluid were counted. The most effective treatment in terms of the ability to reduce lung collagen content and minimize the formation of pulmonary histopathological lesions was tetrandrine treatment, followed by Chinese herbal kombucha and non-Chinese herbal kombucha. However, the lavage fluid cell counts indicated that tetrandrine treatment had severe adverse effects on macrophage viability. This effect was much less pronounced for the kombucha and Chinese herbal kombucha treatments. Moreover, the free silica levels in the lungs of animals treated with Chinese herbal kombucha were significantly lower than those for any other silica-exposed group. These preliminary results indicate that spraying with Chinese herbal kombucha preparations can effectively promote the discharge of silica dust from lung tissues. Chinese herbal kombucha inhalation may thus be a useful new treatment for silicosis and other pneumoconiosis diseases.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Hainan 571737, China.
authors.forename: Nai-Fang
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Chang-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jun-Cai
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yong-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Jian-An
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Heng-Qiu
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Dan-Yu
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Xiao-Qin
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xian-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rui-Hui
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Zuo-Xing
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sheng-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
references.citation: Microbiol Rev. 1991 Mar;55(1):35-58
references.pmid: 2030672
references.citation: Toxicol Ind Health. 2011 Aug;27(7):607-16
references.pmid: 21505002
references.citation: PLoS Med. 2012;9(4):e1001206
references.pmid: 22529751
references.citation: Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2011 Aug;29(8):622-5
references.pmid: 22335169
references.citation: J Hazard Mater. 2009 Jan 30;161(2-3):1355-9
references.pmid: 18538922
references.citation: Respir Res. 2009 May 13;10:36
references.pmid: 19439069
references.citation: J Hazard Mater. 2007 Mar 6;141(1):77-85
references.pmid: 16879919
references.citation: J Food Prot. 2000 Jul;63(7):976-81
references.pmid: 10914673
references.citation: Occup Environ Med. 2000 Jan;57(1):10-8
references.pmid: 10711264
references.citation: PLoS One. 2011 Feb 02;6(2):e14647
references.pmid: 21311600
references.citation: J Toxicol Sci. 2012;37(6):1207-15
references.pmid: 23208435
references.citation: Pharmacol Res. 2008 Jul;58(1):22-31
references.pmid: 18590825
references.citation: Osteoporos Int. 2010 Nov;21(11):1841-52
references.pmid: 20069278
references.citation: Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2002 Dec;23(12):1107-13
references.pmid: 12466048
references.citation: Planta Med. 2001 Oct;67(7):599-604
references.pmid: 11582534