title: Ursolic acid improves survival and attenuates lung injury in septic rats induced by cecal ligation and puncture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sepsis is characterized as a systemic inflammatory response syndrome during infection, which can result in multiple organ dysfunction and death. Ursolic acid (UA), a pentacyclic triterpene acid, has been reported to have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to detect the possible protective effects of UA on sepsis-evoked acute lung injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  A rat model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used. Rats were injected intraperitoneally with UA (10 mg/kg) after CLP, and then the survival was determined twice a day for 4 d. The protective effects of UA on CLP-induced acute lung injury were assayed at 24 h after CLP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that UA treatment markedly improved the survival of septic rats, and attenuated CLP-induced lung injury, including reduction of lung wet/dry weight ratio, infiltration of leukocytes and proteins, myeloperoxidase activity, and malondialdehyde content. In addition, UA significantly decreased the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β, inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in the lung, which are involved in the productions of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that UA exerts protective effects on CLP-induced septic rats. UA may be a potential therapeutic agent against sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhansheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhilong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Meina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Penghui
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qinwu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Jinzhou Central Hospital, Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: yuanyuanyyyx@163.com.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D015415:Biomarkers; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D016207:Cytokines; D015232:Dinoprostone; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D009195:Peroxidase; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014315:Triterpenes; D000097245:Ursolic Acid; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; C489691:Ptgs2 protein, rat
keywords: Acute lung injury; Inflammatory mediator; Sepsis; Survival; Ursolic acid