title: Effects of leflunomide on inflamation and fibrosis in bleomycine induced pulmonary fibrosis in wistar albino rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pulmonary fibrosis is a rare and progressive lung disease with a high mortality rate. The treatment regimens still fail to recover the disease. Leflunomide (LEF) is an immunomodulatory agent with antiproliferative activity that is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of the study is to investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy of LEF in bleomycin (BLM) induced pulmonary fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 21 male, adult wistar albino rats were used. The animals were divided into three groups as control, BLM and BLM plus LEF groups (n=7). In BLM group, mice were treated with intratracheal instillation of BLM (2.5 U/kg). Control group received the same volume of saline instead of BLM. In LEF group, in addition to BLM, LEF (10 mg/kg, daily) was administrated by oral gavage. The effect of LEF on pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis was studied by measurements of serum clara cell protein-16 (CC-16), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) levels and lung tissue contents of IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB by immunhistochemical examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LEF significantly increased the level of CC-16 and decreased the level of AOPP (P=0.042 and P=0.003 respectively). Lung tissue contents of IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB significantly decreased in LEF group compared to BLM group by immunhistochemical examinations (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LEF reduces oxidative stress factors, alveolar inflammation and attenuates lung injury and fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Disease, Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey;
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kayhan
authors.forename: Aygul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guzel
authors.forename: Latif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.forename: Serife
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tutuncu
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guzel
authors.forename: Mithat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gunaydın
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Salis
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuyucu
authors.forename: Mustafa Yasin
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Selcuk
keywords: Animal model; Il-6; anti-inflammatory; lungs; superoxide dismutase (SOD)