Physiology Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Medicinal Plant Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Pharmacol Rep. 2020 Aug;72(4):992-1001. doi: 10.1007/s43440-019-00023-y. Epub 2020 Jan 29.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and fibrotic lung disease of unknown causes. Given the crucial role of oxidative stress in the progression of IPF, antioxidant therapy may be speculated to be an efficient therapeutic approach. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Crocin as a potent, natural antioxidant against Bleomycin-induced PF in male Wistar rats.
Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. Group 1 received intratracheal saline on day 7 and oral gavage of saline for 28 days. Group 2 received a single dose of Bleomycin on day 7 and oral gavage of saline for 28 days. Groups 3 received a single dose of Bleomycin on day 7, accompanied with oral administration of Crocin for 28 days. Group 4 orally received Crocin for 28 days. Finally, the lungs were removed for measuring the biochemical and histopathological markers.
The results showed that Crocin therapy remarkably decreased TNF-α, MDA and NO levels in the lungs of Bleomycin-exposed rats. Furthermore, a significant increase was seen in lung GSH content, catalase, and GPx activities in the Crocin/Bleomycin-treated group as compared with Bleomycin-treated group. However, Crocin could not markedly change the lung index and SOD activity. Histopathological changes, fibrosis and hydroxyproline content of lungs also significantly decreased by Crocin therapy in the Crocin/Bleomycin-treated group.
In sum, Crocin therapy could modulate biochemical and histological changes induced by Bleomycin; therefore, it might be considered as an effective therapeutic approach against IPF.
特发性肺纤维化（IPF）是一种病因不明的慢性纤维性肺疾病。鉴于氧化应激在 IPF 进展中的关键作用，抗氧化治疗可能被推测为一种有效的治疗方法。因此，本研究旨在评估藏红花素作为一种有效的天然抗氧化剂对博来霉素诱导的 PF 雄性 Wistar 大鼠的保护作用。
40 只雄性 Wistar 大鼠随机分为四组。第 1 组在第 7 天接受气管内生理盐水，第 28 天接受口服生理盐水。第 2 组在第 7 天接受单次博来霉素注射，第 28 天接受口服生理盐水。第 3 组在第 7 天接受单次博来霉素注射，同时接受 28 天的口服藏红花素治疗。第 4 组接受 28 天的口服藏红花素治疗。最后，取出肺部测量生化和组织病理学标志物。
结果表明，藏红花素治疗显著降低了博来霉素暴露大鼠肺部的 TNF-α、MDA 和 NO 水平。此外，与博来霉素治疗组相比，藏红花素/博来霉素治疗组的肺 GSH 含量、过氧化氢酶和 GPx 活性显著增加。然而，藏红花素不能显著改变肺指数和 SOD 活性。藏红花素治疗也显著降低了博来霉素/藏红花素治疗组肺的组织病理学变化、纤维化和羟脯氨酸含量。
总之，藏红花素治疗可以调节博来霉素诱导的生化和组织学变化；因此，它可能被认为是治疗特发性肺纤维化的一种有效方法。
