Therapeutic effect of prednisone on pulmonary fibrosis in rats

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of prednisone on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.Methods Forty-five Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into three groups of A(pulmonary fibrosis model induced by intratracheally injeting bleomycin 5 mg/kg),B(feeding prednisone 6 mg/kg daily started on the 15th day after model established) and C(treated with normal saline as blank control).On the 28th,42nd and 56th day,the lung tissues were stained with HE and Masson.The content of hydroxyproline and the expression of interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in the lung tissues were detected by alkaline hydrolysis and immunohistochemistry,respectively.Results The scores of alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis,the content of hydroxyproline and the expression of IL-1β in group B were significantly lower than those in group A(P0.01).Conclusion Prednisone may play a therapeutic role in pulmonary fibrosis probably via attenuating inflammation reaction.