Effects of Curcumin on Lung Tissue and Apoptosis-related Factors in Rats with Pulmonary Fibrosis

Objective To investigate the effects of curcumin on lung tissue and apoptosis-related factor Bcl-xl,Bax and casepase-3 in rats with pulmonary fibrosis,and to provide an experimental basis for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis with curcumin. Methods After acclimation for 1 week,40 male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham-operation group( group A),model group( group B),prednisone intervention group( group C) and curcumin group( group D),with 10 rats in each group. Pulmonary fibrosis was induced by intratracheal injection of bleomycin( 5 mg·kg- 1) in group B,C and D. At day 2 after induction of pulmonary fibrosis,0. 5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose( 0. 014 L·kg- 1) was administrated to rats in group A and B,prednisone acetate( 0. 56 mg·kg- 1) to rats in group C,and curcumin and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium solution( 200 mg · kg- 1) to rats in group D. Rats were weighed and then killed at day 28 after administration. Lung tissue was collected to observe the morphological changes by HE staining. The expression of Bcl-xl,Bax and caspase-3 was detected by Western blotting. Results The degree of pulmonary fibrosis reduced in both group C and group D,and general condition,lung coefficient and pathological changes in group C were similar to those in group D. Compared with group B,protein contents of apoptosis-related factors significantly decreased in group A,C and D( P 0. 01 or P 0. 05). No significant differences were found between group C and group D( P 0. 05). Conclusion Curcumin can delay disease progression and has similar effect to hormones in pulmonary fibrosis. The mechanism of action of curcumin may be involved in the changes in the expression of apoptosis-related factors.