title: Houttuyniacordata Thunb. polysaccharides ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Houttuynia cordata (HC) has been used as a folk therapy to treat pulmonary infections. This study aimed to determine the role and mechanism of action of polysaccharides isolated from HC (HCP) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in the mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  LPS was delivered by the intratracheal route to Balb/c mice 2h before HCP (40, 80 and 160mg/kg) administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of total cells, protein and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, the wet/dry weight ratio (w/d) of lungs and pulmonary pathology of each mouse were analyzed, it was found that HCP significantly alleviated ALI induced by LPS. Moreover, in lungs of mice, it was found that the infiltration of inflammatory cells, the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 and complement deposition were significantly decreased by HCP treatment. In vitro assays showed that C5a, a complement activation product, induced significant macrophage migration and treatment with HCP prevented it. The in vitro results also proved that LPS increased nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β) production, and HCP antagonized these effects of LPS. It was also found that HCP alone augmented secretion of some pro-inflammatory cytokines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that HCP may alleviate LPS induced lung inflammatory injury, which may be associated with its inhibitory effect on the over activation of complement and macrophages. This suggests a potential role to treat ALI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: zhcheng@shmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yun-Yi
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Ye
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xiao
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: dfchen@shmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Dao-Feng
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D002633:Chemotaxis; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D052859:Houttuynia; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D011134:Polysaccharides; C493487:Tlr4 protein, mouse; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D003165:Complement System Proteins
keywords: Acute lung injury (ALI); Complement.; Cytokines; Dexamethasone (PubChem CID: 5743); Ethanol (PubChem CID: 702); Formaldehyde (PubChem CID: 712); Houttuynia cordata polysaccharides (HCP); Lipopolysaccharide (LPS); Macrophages; Polymyxin B (PubChem CID: 49800004).