Glycyrrhizin (GL), a major active constituent of licorice root, has been attributed
numerous pharmacologic effects, including anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-tumor,
and hepatoprotective activities. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory
effect of GL on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice.
ALI was induced in Balb/c mice by intratracheal instillation of LPS (1 mg/kg). Before
1 h of LPS administration, the mice received intraperitoneal injection of GL at varied
doses (10, 25, and 50 mg/kg). The severity of pulmonary injury was evaluated 12 h
after LPS administration. GL pretreatment led to significant attenuation of LPS induced
evident lung histopathologic changes, alveolar hemorrhage, and neutrophil infiltration
with evidence of reduced myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. The lung wet/dry weight ratios,
as an index of lung edema, were markedly reduced by GL pretreatment. The concentrations
of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α
were elevated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) after LPS administration, which
were significantly inhibited by GL pretreatment. GL pretreatment also reduced the
concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) in lung tissues. Furthermore, the expression of
cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was suppressed
by GL pretreatment. In conclusion, GL potently protected against LPS-induced ALI,
and the protective effects of GL may attribute partly to the suppression of COX-2
and iNOS expression.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 02, 2010
Received:
July 6,
2010
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© 2011 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
