Effects of Curcumin on Lung Function of Pulmonary Fibrosis Rats

Objective To observe the therapeutic effects of curcumin on pulmonar y fibrosis rats induced by bleomycin. Method One hundred and forty-four male Sp rague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (24 rats in each group). Rats in the model control group,positive medicine group,and high-,moderate-and low-dosage curcumin groups were injected with a single dose of bleomycin th rough trachea,and rats in sham-model control group with the same volume of nor mal saline. One day after the injection,curcumin solution of different dosages (200,100,50 mg·kg-1·d-1) was respectively given to rats in the high-,mod erate-and low-dosage curcumin groups daily by gastric gavage,while the same v olume of normal saline was given to those in the sham-model control group and m odel control group,and the same volume of prednisone(0.56 mg·kg-1·d-1) was given to those in the positive medicine control group. On the 7th,14th,and 28t h day after medication,8 rats in per treatment group were randomly killed,the changes of lung function were observed,and the lung was incised to make patholo gical sections which were stained with HE and Mallory. Results Curcumin improved lung function. The results of pathological examination showed that curcumin rel ieved the pathogenic changes of the lungs of pulmonary fibrosis rats induced by bleomycin. Conclusion Curcumin exerts a certain curative effect on pulmonary fib rosis rats induced by bleomycin.