Effect of Tanreqing injection on inflannatory factor of rats with acute lung injury

Objective To study the effects of Tanreqing injectio (a Chinese herb preparation acts as an anti-inflammatory agent to eliminate the pulmonary infection) on inflammatory cytokines of rats with acute lung injury (ALI). Methods Fifty-six clean grade healthy male SD rats were randomly (random number) divided into three groups: normal group, model group and treatment group. Rats in the model group and treatment group were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into tail vein. Rats in treatment group were treated with Tanreqing injection one hour after LPS injection. The observing intervals were respectively set in 2 h, 4 h and 6 h. At each observing interval, TNF-α, IL-1 β and IL-8 in brochoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by radioimmunoassay, and the ratio of polymorphonuclear neutrophiles (ωPMN) in BALF were calculated by Wright-Giermsa staining, as well as to observe the pathological changes of lungs and to examine the lung wet/dry weight ratio (W/D). Data were analyzed with SPSS version 17.0 software. Results At 2, 4 and 6 h intervals, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8 and ωPMN in BALF were significantly higher in model group than those in normal group (P ＜0. 05 or P ＜0. 01 ), the lung W/D in model group were obviously higher than those in normal group ( P ＜ 0. 01 ), and the pathological injury of lung tissue in model group were severe. At each observing interval, compared with model group,TNF-o, IL-1 β, IL-8 and oPMN in BALF were significantly reduced in treatment group ( P ＜ 0. 05 or P ＜0.01 ), the lung W/D in treatment group were obviously decreased ( P ＜0.01 ), and the lung injury were attenuated in treatment group. Conclusions Tanreqing injection could provide partly protection in rats with ALI by inhibiting inflammatory factor. Key words: Tanreqing injection;  Lipopolysaccharide;  Acute lung injury;  Inflammatory factor; TNF-α; IL-1β;  IL-8;  ωPMN