Effect of Xiefei Decoction on the inflammatory factors and VEGF expression in rats with pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective To observe the effect of Xiefei Decoction (Lung Heat-clearing Decoction, XFT) on the inflammatory factors and the expression of VEGF in lung tissue of pulmonary fibrosis rats induced by bleomycin. Methods 84 SPF SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, XFT low, middle and high-dose XFT groups and prednisone group ( n = 14 in each group). Apart from the normal group, a single dose of bleomycin was intratracheally injected into the SD rats to induce pulmonary fibrosis ( PF) .Thenormalgroupreceivedthe ameamountofnormal aline.After24hour low middleand high-dose XFT groups were given a gavage of 10 g/kg • d, 20 g/kg • d and 40 g/kg • d respectively; the prednisone group was given prednisone 1. 8 mg/kg • d; and the normal group and model group were given equal volume of normal saline. All rats were sacrificad after 28 days. The pathomorphism changes of lung tissue were observed with HE; the contents of IL-6 and IL-10 in serum were evaluated with ELISA; expression of VEGF gene and caspase-3 gene in lung tissue were assessed by RT-PCR; and VEGF expression in lung tissue was assessed by Western blot. Results Compared with the blank control group, the pathological score, inflammatory cell count, serum IL-6 content, and the expression of caspase-3 and VEGF in lung tissue were significantly increased, but serum IL-10 was significantly decreased in the model group (P <0. 01) . Compared with the model group, in all XFT groups, the expression of VEGF decreased signi icantly; and the pathologicalscore in lammatory celcount serum IL-6 contents the gene expression of caspase-3 and VEGF were decreased significantly (P <0.05 or P < 0.01). However, the serum IL-10 content was significantly increased in XFT mid-dose and high-dose groups compared with the model group (P <0.05 or P <0.01). Conclusion XFT seems to delay disease progression of pulmonary fibrosis posibly through inhibition of inflammation apoptosis and angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]