The effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia aucheri on bleomycin induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats

Pulmonary fibrosis is one of common side effect of bleomycin, which is administered as a chemotherapeutic agent. Current evidence suggests that reactive oxygen species (ROS) may play a key role in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. This study was designed to investigate the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia aucheri with some antioxidant effects on bleomycin induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. In this experimental study, thirty five Sprague Dawley rats were semi randomly divide into five groups of seven. In four groups of animals bleomycin sulfate (5 mg/Kg) was used for intra-trachea instillation. Two groups of animals received 100 and 200 mg/kg (i.p) Artemisia aucheri extracts (AAE) and one group received vitamin E (10mg/kg, i.p.) for two weeks. Same amount of saline was administered to the control group. At the end of experimental period, malondialdehyde (MAD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) serum levels were determined. Lung tissue samples from the all animals were collected for histological investigation. Treatment by AAE and Vitamin E caused decrease in the serum levels of malondialdehyde (MAD) which were not significant, whereas a significant increase was observed in the serum level of total antioxidant capacity. The findings of this study suggest that antioxidant compounds of AAE may have therapeutic effect for pulmonary fibrosis.