Rhubard alleviates acute lung injury caused by paraquart

Objective: To evaluate the potential alleviating effect of rhubarb on acute lung injury caused by paraquat(PQ) in rats and its mechanism.Methods:A total of 168 healthy adult SD rats were randomly divided into Group A(blank control),B(poisoned),C(rhubarb-treated) and D(rhubarb-treated control).Group B and C were treated intragastrically with PQ at 50 mg/kg,while C and Group D given rhubard at 300mg/(kg·d),followed by observation of the pathological changes of the lung tissues and determined the count of neutrophils and the contents of proteins,serum superoxide dismutase(SOD) and malondialdehyde(MDA)in the pulmonary alveolar lavage fluid.Results: Congestion,edema,leukocyte infiltration and increased pulmonary alveolar permeability were observed in Group B,with fibrosis in a few rats.All the changes mentioned above were obviously alleviated in Group C.The level of serum SOD at 6 hours after exposed to PQ were markedly reduced in Group B as compared with Group A(P0.05);but it was increased in Group C,reached the peak value and maintained a high level after 48 hours,with a statistical difference from Group B(P0.05).So was it in Group D,though less obviously than in Group C,with a significant difference in between(P0.05).A rise in the level of serum MDA was noted in Group B and C,by a bigger margin in the former,but with no significant difference.Conclusion: Rhubarb alleviates acute lung injury in rats with PQ poisoning,which may be attributed to its attenuation of lipid peroxidation in the lung tissues.