The Protective Effect of Sodium Ferulate and Oxymatrine Combination on Paraquat-induced Lung Injury

Experimental evidence suggested that sodium ferulate (SF) and oxymatrine (OMT) combination had synergistic anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. We hypothesized that SF and OMT combination treatment might have protective effects on paraquat-induced acute lung injury. In our study, the Swiss mice were randomly divided into seven groups, including control, paraquat (PQ), SF (6.2 mg/kg/day); OMT (13.8 mg/kg/day) and three SF+OMT groups (3.1+6.9; 6.2+13.8 and 12.3+27.7 mg/kg/day). The mortality and death time were monitored. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven groups including control, PQ, SF (3.1 mg/kg/day); OMT (6.9 mg/kg/day) and three SF+OMT groups (1.6+3.4; 3.1+6.9 and 6.2+13.8 mg/kg/day). The lung wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio, lung histopathologic changes, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxidase dismutase (SOD) were analysed. Compared with PQ group, the mortality significantly decreased and the death time prolonged in SF and OMT combination treatment groups of mice. Also in SF and OMT combination treatment groups of rats, the increased lung W/D ratio and histopathological score induced by PQ injection were significantly decreased; the levels of CRP, IL-6, NF-κB and MDA in serum and lung homogenate were significantly decreased; the SOD activities in serum and lung homogenate were improved. These results suggested that SF and OMT combination had an obvious protective effect on PQ-induced lung injury. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect might be involved in the mechanism.