Effects of Lepidii Semen on Acute Edematous Lung Injury Induced by Skin Burn

The present study was conducted to determine whether administration of heat extract of Lepidii Semen has an inhibitory effect on neutrophil-derived oxidative injury following dermal scald burn in rats. Acute lung injury was induced by scald burn (15% of TBSA) in rats. To identify acute edematous lung injury, protein concentrations and numbers of polymorphonuclear leukocytes were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) at 5 h after skin burn. In addition, the level of lung KC (neutrophil chemoattractant cytokine) and activity of lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured, and histopathological changes were observed as well. Lung weight and concentration of BAL protein, the index of lung injury, were clearly increased at 5 h postburn compared with those of sham-operated group. Administration of heat extract of Lepidii Semen after scald burn inhibited the production of KC in lung tissue and decreased the activity of lung MPO related to infiltration of neutrophils. In histopathological changes in lung tissue, infiltration of inflammatory cells and pulmonary edema induced by skin burn were decreased by administration of heat extract of Lepidii Semen after scald burn. These results suggest that Lepidii Semen may be an effective medical stuff for acute lung injury induced by skin burn.