Abstract
Background:Different medical therapies are employed in acute lung injury (ALI) but there is still a debate about the efficacy of these drugs. Among these therapies steroids are clinically applied and bosentan is experimentally studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of these two drugs to treat inflammation in ALI by histopathological comparison.
Methods:The five experimental groups (n=5 per group) were: saline control; lipopolysaccharide (LPS)+saline; LPS+dexamethasone; LPS+50 mg/kg bosentan; and LPS+ 100 mg/kg bosentan. Vasodilation-congestion, hemorrhage, polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) infiltration, mononuclear leukocyte (MNL) infiltration, alveolar wall thickening, alveolar destruction/emphysematous appearance, and focal organization were the parameters used as criteria for evaluating inflammation and efficacy of treatment.
Results:Compared to the LPS-only group, dexamethasone treatment resulted in significant improvements in vasodilation-congestion, hemorrhage, PMN and MNL infiltration, alveolar wall thickening and emphysematous areas. Treatment with 50mg/kg dose of bosentan also resulted in significant improvements in hemorrhage, PMN and MNL infiltration, alveolar wall thickening and alveolar destruction. Reducing lung injury and reparative effects of 100mg/kg bosentan were significant in all parameters.
Conclusions:Bosentan is as effective as dexamethasone for treating lung injury in ALI. Bosentan at 100mg/kg can be recommended as a first treatment choice based on its significant reducing lung injury and reparative effects.
- © 2014 ERS