Ligustrazine attenuates acute lung injury after burn trauma

Abstract 

Acute lung injury is a common complication in patients with extensive burns in which the burned area exceeds 30% of the total body surface area (TBSA). This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of Ligustrazine on burn-induced lung injury as well as the release of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in rats to characterize the role of Ligustrazine and IL-8 in lung injury after burn trauma. Sprague-dawley rats were divided into three groups: (1) sham group, rats who underwent sham burn; (2) control group, rats given third-degree burns over 30% TBSA and lactated Ringer solution for resuscitation; and (3) Ligustrazine group, rats given burn injury and lactated Ringer's solution with Ligustrazine inside for resuscitation. Pulmonary injury was assessed at 24h by pulmonary capillary permeability determined with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled albumin and lung histologic analysis, and lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity as well as lung wet/dry weight ratio. The IL-8 levels were measured in serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These studies showed that burn trauma results in increased pulmonary leakage permeability and lung wet/dry ratio, elevated serum IL-8 levels and MPO activity, and worsened histologic condition. Ligustrazine inhibited these changes, prevented burn-mediated lung injury, and the production of IL-8. This will likely provide further evidence for ligustrazine as a therapeutic strategy in burn-induced lung injury.

Keywords: Burns, Acute lung injury, Interleukin-8, Ligustrazine