Background: Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a multifactorial disease in the human. The existing therapeutic
agents display unfavorable adverse effects. Consequently, the discovery of novel therapeutic agents for the
prevention and treatment of PF remains a challenge.
Aim of the work: Evaluation of the modulatory effect of green tea and aloe vera (AV) extracts on bleomycin
induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.
Material and methods: Fifty adult male rats were utilized and divided equally into 5 groups. The first was
served as control group, the second was the bleomycin (BLM) group (daily I.P. dose 10 mg/kg body weight
for 10 days), the third was the green tea (GTE) group which was given daily oral dose of GTE (150 mg/
kg b.w.) for 14 days with concomitant IP administration of BLM for 10 consecutive days, the fourth was the
Aloe vera (AV) group which was given daily oral dose of AV (300 mg/kg b.w.) for 14 days with concomitant
IP administration of BLM for 10 consecutive days, the fifth was the GTE and AV group. Lung samples
were taken 14 days after the treatment. Paraffin sections were prepared for histological; H&E and Masson’s
trichrome staining and immunohistochemical study.
Results: Green tea group revealed normal bronchioles, alveoli with apparently thin interalveolar septa, few
cellular infiltration and extravasated RBCs and induced a significant decreased (P≤0.05) in collagen fibers
accumulation and in caspase-3 expression compared with BLM group. Group IV (AV) and group V (GTE
and AV) revealed alveoli with apparently thicker interalveolar septa, more cellular infiltration, congested
blood vessels and extravasated RBCs in comparison with GTE group. Group IV showed insignificant
decreased (P≤0.05) in collagen fibers accumulation compared with BLM group while the decrease was
significant in caspase-3 expression. Group V showed insignificant decreased (P≤0.05) in collagen fibers
accumulation and in caspase-3 expression compared with BLM group.
Conclusion: Green tea and aloe vera partially alleviate pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin in rats.
Supporting the potential benefits of using aloe vera and green tea as a potential novel therapeutic agents by
diet. |
