An aqueous pomegranate peel extract (Punica granatum) protect against Elastase-induced pulmonary emphysema in Sprague Dawley rats model

We investigated the effect of Punica granatum peel aqueous extract (PGE), on pulmonary inflammation and alveolar degradation induced by intratracheal administration Elastase in Sprague Dawley rats. Lung was rats instillation Elastase. On day 1 2, animals received an intraperitoneal injection PGE (200 mg/mL), three hours later, they were intratracheally instilled with 25U/kg pancreatic porcine Animals sacrificed 7 days later. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) collected cellularity, histology mRNA expression Monocyte chemotactic protein 1(MCP-1), Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) studied. In addition, activity TNF- α, IL-6 MCP-1 BAL also analyzed ELISA Kit. increased: neutrophils recruitment MCP1, expressions. It increased lung TNF-α, MCP-1, MMP-2 expressions, platelets recruitment, histological parameters at 7th elastase treatment. Intraperitoneal 200 mg/kg reduced, significantly, recruitment. However, animal treated PGE, 7, similar to Sham group. Treatment mg/ kg) significantly reduced expression. This study reveals that protects against