Protection afforded by a herbal medicine, Sho-seiryu-to (TJ-19), against oleic acid-induced acute lung injury in guinea-pigs.

J Pharm Pharmacol. 2009 Jul; 61(7): 925-32Yang CQ, Ishitsuka Y, Moriuchi H, Golbidi S, Jin ZJ, Irikura M, Irie TOBJECTIVES: The effect of a herbal medicine, Sho-seiryu-to (TJ-19), on oleic acid-induced lung injury, an animal model of acute respiratory distress syndrome or acute lung injury (ARDS/ALI), was examined. METHODS: Acute lung injury was induced by an intravenous injection of 15 mul/kg oleic acid to guinea-pigs. TJ-19 was administered by a single oral dose (3 g/kg) or by multiple oral doses (0.75 g/kg). KEY FINDINGS: The decrease in partial oxygen pressure of arterial blood (Pao(2)) and the increase in airway vascular permeability induced by the oleic acid injection were attenuated by a single dose of TJ-19. When TJ-19 was administered orally twice a day for two weeks and then oleic acid was injected, a potent prophylactic effect of the drug was observed. TJ-19 also prevented airway vascular hyperpermeability, lung cell injury, oxidative stress and thromboxane A(2) generation, associated with the oleic acid injection. CONCLUSIONS: TJ-19 significantly attenuated the oleic acid-induced lung injury probably through the antioxidative effect and inhibitory effect of thromboxane A(2) generation, although the precise inhibitory mechanisms were not fully elucidated due to the diversity in constituents of the herbal medicine. We suggest that TJ-19 is a promising drug candidate and a medicinal resource for preventing ARDS/ALI.