Original Article
Copyright ©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Respirol. Jul 28, 2013; 3(2): 20-28
Published online Jul 28, 2013. doi: 10.5320/wjr.v3.i2.20
Effects of methyl palmitate and lutein on LPS-induced acute lung injury in rats
El-Sayed M Ammar, Maha H Sharawy, Asem A Shalaby, Dina S El-Agamy
El-Sayed M Ammar, Maha H Sharawy, Dina S El-Agamy, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Asem A Shalaby, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Author contributions: Ammar El-SM, Sharawy MH and El-Agamy DS contributed equally to all aspects of this study, they designed and performed the research, analyzed the data, wrote the paper; Shalaby AA performed the histopathological part in the study.
Correspondence to: Dina S El-Agamy, PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, El-Gomhoria St., Mansoura 35516, Egypt. dinaagamy1@yahoo.com
Telephone: +20-50-2247496 Fax: +20-50-2247496
Received: February 26, 2013
Revised: May 19, 2013
Accepted: June 19, 2013
Published online: July 28, 2013
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effects of methyl palmitate and lutein on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in rats and explore the possible mechanisms.

METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: (1) control; (2) LPS; (3) Methyl palmitate; and (4) Lutein groups. Methyl palmitate (300 mg/kg, ip) was administered 3 times per week on alternating days while lutein (100 mg/kg, oral) was given once daily. After 1 wk of vehicle/methyl palmitate/lutein treatment, ALI was induced by a single dose of LPS (7.5 mg/kg, iv). After 24 h of LPS injection, animals were sacrificed then biochemical parameters and histopathology were assessed.

RESULTS: Treatment with methyl palmitate attenuated ALI, as it significantly decreased the lung wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio, the accumulation of the inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and histopathological damage. However, methyl palmitate failed to decrease lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in BALF. On the other hand, lutein treatment produced significant anti-inflammatory effects as revealed by significant decrease in accumulation of inflammatory cells in lung, LDH level in BALF and histopathological damage. Methyl palmitate and lutein significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) activities with significant decrease in the lung malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Importantly, methyl palmitate and lutein decreased the level of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the lung. Lutein also reduced LPS-mediated overproduction of pulmonary nitrite/nitrate (NO2-/NO3-), which was not affected by methyl palmitate pretreatment.

CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the potent protective effects of both methyl palmitate and lutein against LPS-induced ALI in rats. These effects can be attributed to potent antioxidant activities of these agents, which suppress inflammatory cell infiltration and regulated cytokine effects.

Keywords: Acute lung injury, Lipopolysaccharide, Methyl palmitate, Lutein, Rats