Effect of astragalus on the endothelin in rats with acute lung injury

The effect of astragalus on the endothelin in serum and lung of the rats with acute lung injury was studied. The results demonstrated that the concentration of endothelin in the lung of the rats in therapy group was lower than that of the injured rats (64.36 +/- 5.37 ng/L vs 103.32 +/- 4.99 ng/L, P < 0.001), and level of serum endothelin was also lower than that of the injured rats (85.35 ng/L vs 113.35 ng/L, P < 0.01). PaO2, serum SOD, lung coefficient, ratio of lung wet weight/dry weight in two groups were also significantly different (P < 0.01) respectively, and the lung pathological injury in the treatment group were less than that of injury group. So it is concluded that astragalus could inhibit the increase of serum and lung endothelin, thereby playing a protective role in the rats with acute lung injury.