[Protective effect of curcumin on oleic-induced acute lung injury in rats]

To investigate the effect of curcumine on acute lung injury induced by oleic acid in rat and the possible mechanism of action. The rats were divided into 6 groups randomly: normal group, control group, curcumine groups (5, 10, 20 mg x kg(-1)) and dexamethasone group (1 mg x kg(-1)). During the experiment, acute lung injury was induced by oleic acid in rat. The changes of dynamic lung compliance were recorded by anrise 2005 pulmonary function test apparatus, light microscope was used to examine histological changes and lung index as well as wet to dry weight ratio was calculated by weighting method. Lung vascular permeability and protein level in BALF were detected by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, and the concentrations of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10 in BALF were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The result showed that the changes of pulmonary compliance were inhibited and pulmonary function was improved by curcumine. The OA-induced elevation of lung index was restrained, as well as wet to dry weight ratio, lung vascular permeability, protein level, TNF-alpha (250.4 +/- 21.6 vs. 172.53 +/- 14.88, 122.2 +/- 10.98, 108.69 +/- 3.39) ng x L(-1), IL-6 (763.6 +/- 88.33 vs. 207.41 +/- 15.55, 172.13 +/- 21.91, 142.92 +/- 4.32) ng x L(-1) in BALF in curcumine groups, IL-10 (98.90 +/- 2.99 vs. 208.44 +/- 16.30, 218.43 +/- 6.23, 252.70 +/- 20.58) ng x L(-1) in BALF was increased, respectively significantly. Light microscope findings shown that the impairment in curcumine groups was far less severe than that in model groups. Pretreatment of curcumine showed beneficial effect on acute lung injury induced by oleic acid in rats. The mediation of both proinflammatory factor and anti-inflammatory factor by curcumine may be involved in mechanism of action of curcumine effects.