Bufei Yishen granule combined with acupoint sticking improves pulmonary function and morphormetry in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rats

BACKGROUND The integrated therapy of Bufei Yishen granule and acupoint sticking has been used in the treatment of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinically, with remarkable benefits. This study was initiated to observe the effects of the combination of Bufei Yishen granule and acupoint sticking on pulmonary function and morphormetry in a COPD rat model. METHODS Rats were randomized into Control, Model, Bufei Yishen (BY), Acupoint sticking (AS), Bufei Yishen + Acupoint sticking (BY + AS) and aminophyline (APL) groups. COPD rats were duplicated by repeated cigarette smoke and bacterial exposures. The rats were treated with normal saline, Bufei Yishen granule, acupoint sticking, Bufei Yishen + Acupoint sticking and aminophylline, respectively, from week 9 through 20. Pulmonary function was measured by using a whole body plethysmograph every 4 weeks. The rats were sacrificed at the end of week 20, and lung tissue histology and ultrastructure was observed under light and electron microscopes. RESULTS The pulmonary function, including tidal volume (VT), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and expiratory flow at 50 % tidal volume (EF50), was markedly decreased from week 8 in COPD rats (P < 0.05). At week 20, VT, PEF and EF50 were significantly lower in Model group (P < 0.05). Compared with Model group, VT, PEF and EF50 were higher in BY and BY + AS groups (P < 0.05), and EF50 was higher in AS group, while VT was higher in APL group (P < 0.05). Markedly histological and ultrastructural changes, including respiratory membrane thickening, volume density of lamellar corpuscle decreasing, mitochondria reducing in type II alveolar cell, were found in COPD rats and were alleviated in the treated groups, especially in BY and BY + AS groups. CONCLUSION Bufei Yishen granule and acupoint sticking can improve pulmonary function and lung pathological impairment in COPD rats, the curative effect of the combination is better than acupoint sticking or aminophylline only.