title: Aloe vera affects changes induced in pulmonary tissue of mice caused by cigarette smoke inhalation.
abstract: This study was undertaken to determine the influence of Aloe vera (AV) on changes induced in pulmonary tissue of cigarette smoke (CS) inhaling mice. CS inhalation for 4 weeks caused pulmonary damage as evident by histoarchitectural alterations and enhanced serum and tissue lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities. CS inhalation also led to increased mucin production as revealed by mucicarmine and Alcian Blue-Periodic Acid Schiff (AB-PAS) staining. Studies on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (balf) of CS exposed animals revealed structural changes in phospholipids and increase in surface tension when compared with control counterparts. These changes were accompanied by enhanced nitric oxide (NO) levels, citrulline levels, peroxidative damage, and differential modulation of antioxidant defense system. AV administration (seven weeks, 500 mg/kg b.w. daily) to CS inhaling mice led to modulation of CS induced pulmonary changes as revealed by lesser degree of histoarchitectural alterations, lesser mucin production, decreased NO levels, citrulline levels, peroxidative damage, and serum LDH activity. AV treatment to CS inhaling mice was associated with varying response to antioxidant defense system, however balf of CS + AV treated animals did not exhibit appreciable changes when compared with that of CS exposed animals. These observations suggest that AV has the potential to modulate CS induced changes in the pulmonary tissue which could have implications in management of CS associated pulmonary diseases, however, further investigations are required to explore its complete mechanism of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
authors.forename: Ashwani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koul
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
authors.forename: Shashi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bala
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
authors.lastname: Yasmeen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arora
mesh_terms: D000504:Aloe / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D002956:Citrulline / Q000378:metabolism; D045022:Lactate Dehydrogenases / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009077:Mucins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012906:Smoke; D002956:Citrulline; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D045022:Lactate Dehydrogenases
keywords: Aloe vera; anti-oxidant defence system; bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; cigarette smoke; mucin; oxidative stress; surface tension