title: Protective effect of total alkaloids on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Corydalis denticulato-bracteata Fedde is used as a traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of pneumonia. However, there is no scientific evidence, which validate the use of total alkaloids of denticulato-bracteata Fedde in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Kunming mice were randomly divided into seven groups (n = 12, each): control group, total alkaloids alone (200 mg/kg, intragastric gavage), LPS group, and three different doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, intragastric gavage) for total alkaloids-treated groups, Dexamethasone (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) group. Corresponding drugs or vehicles were given 24 and 1 h before lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). The severity of pulmonary injury was evaluated 6 h after LPS challenge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As revealed by survival study, pretreatment with total alkaloids significantly reduced LPS-induced death. We also found that total alkaloids pretreatment markedly decreased the lung wet-to-dry weight ratios and significantly attenuated histopathologic changes. Moreover, total alkaloids decreased the production of the tumor necrosis factor α and nitric oxide in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Total alkaloids pretreatment also reduced LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase and p65 nuclear factor kappa B protein expression in the lung.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that total alkaloids may have a protective effect against LPS-induced acute lung injury. This protective effect of total alkaloids seems to result from inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B activation, which causes the reduction of inflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor α and inducible nitric oxide synthase.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R China. Electronic address: liwf@mail.xjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Weifeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R China.
authors.forename: Yongmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R China.
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R China.
authors.forename: Qingli
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R China.
authors.forename: Huani
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D031311:Corydalis; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Acute lung injury; Corydalis denticulato-bracteata Fedde; NF-κB; TNF-α; Total alkaloids; iNOS