AIM: To approach the relationship between the expression of intercellular adhesion (ICAM-1 mRNA) and acute lung injury (ALI) as well as the mechanisms of rhubarb in the prevention and treatment of the lung injury. METHODS: ALI animal model was performed by Lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The rats were divided into 4 groups: LPS group, control group, rhubarb+LPS group and dexamethasone+LPS group. Histopathological examination and biological markers were measured for the lung specimens. Molecular hybridization method was used to determine the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA. RESULTS: The ICAM-1 mRNA expression in the lung tissues of LPS group significantly increased compared with control group ( P

Objective: To investigate the effects of Shengmai drink(生脉饮) on nitric oxide(NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) in rats with acute lung injury(ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS).Methods: The male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group,ALI group,Shengmai drink group and dexamethasone group.LPS was injected into the sublingual vein of rats to prepare ALI models.Macroscopic and histopathological examinations were performed and biological indexes including lung wet weight/dry weight,the ratio of neutrophils and protein content in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid((BALF),) pulmonary vascular permeability and pulmonary alveolar permeability index were detected.(Meanwhile),the activities of serum NO and lung tissue homogenate iNOS were measured.Results: Lung histopathological examination showed the injury and cellular infiltration in the pulmonary stroma and alveoli were more prominent in the ALI group than that in the control group.Lung wet weight/dry weight,the(ratio) of neutrophils and protein content in BALF,pulmonary alveolar(permeability) index,pulmonary vascular(permeability) were significantly increased,NO and iNOS were also markedly elevated in the ALI group((P

Objective. To approach the relation and the possible mechanism between the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) mRNA and acute lung injury (ALI) and the mechanisms of rhubarb in the prevention and treatment of the lung injury.Methods. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected into the sublingual vein of male Wistar rats to perform ALI animal model. The rats were divided into 4 groups: LPS group, control group, rhubarb group and dexamethasone group. Macroscopic and histopathological examinations were performed and biological markers were measured for the lung specimens. The markers included lung wet/dry weight, the rate of neutrophils and protein content in the pulmonary alveolar lavage fluid, pulmonary vascular permeability and pulmonary alveolar permeability index. Molecular hybridization method was used to determine the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA.Results. In the lung tissues, the ICAM-1 mRNA expression was increased in the endothelial cells of pulmonary veins and capillaries, rhubarb and dexamethasone had the action of decreasing the expression. The light reflex value in the gray scale scanning showed that in the comparison between the LPS and the control group, the gray scale value of the lung tissues in ALI was significantly increased, thus the light reflex value was markedly decreased (P＜0.01), demonstrating the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA was increased. In comparison with the LPS group, dexamethasone and rhubarb could decrease the gray scale value of the lung tissue significantly, thus the light reflex value was elevated (P＜0.01, P＜0.05); the corresponding pathologic changes of lung tissues and the biological markers of the lung injury were significantly decreased or ameliorated.Conclusions. The increase of the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in the lung tissues of ALI plays the roles in ALI. The application of rhubarb and dexamethasone can decrease the expression and ameliorate the lung damage; its mechanism is possibly via the inhibition of ICAM-1 mRNA expression.