Levocetirizine Pretreatment Mitigates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Lung Inflammation in Rats.

Abstract

This research was conducted to investigate possible protective influences of levocetirizine, a nonsedating H1 antihistamine, against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury in rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats received either levocetirizine (1 mg/kg/day, orally) or the vehicle of the drug (2 ml/kg/day, orally) for 1 week before a single IP injection of LPS (7.5 mg/kg). A group of normal rats served as control. The experiments were terminated 18 h after the LPS challenge. Serum C-reactive protein levels were determined. Moreover, total cell count, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, protein levels, and total NOx were evaluated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Pulmonary edema was evaluated as the wet/dry lung weight ratio. Lung tissue homogenate was assessed for antioxidant/pro-oxidant status. BALF and lung tissue levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were assessed. Lungs were examined for histological alterations. LPS-mediated lung injury was manifested by pulmonary edema, leukocyte infiltration, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Levocetirizine attenuated lung edema and mitigated the increases in BALF protein levels, LDH activity, and lung leukocyte recruitment in LPS-challenged rats. Additionally, TNF-α protein levels in BALF and lung tissue were diminished by levocetirizine administration. Levocetirizine also exhibited a potent antioxidant activity as indicated by a decrease in lung tissue levels of malondialdehyde and an enhancement of superoxide dismutase activity. Histological examination of lung tissues confirmed the beneficial effect of levocetirizine against LPS-induced histopathological alterations. In conclusion, levocetirizine may offer protection against lung tissue damage and inflammation in LPS-challenged rats.

• Authors: Alaa N A Fahmi, George S G Shehatou, Hatem A Salem
• Journal: BioMed research international (Biomed Res Int) Vol. 2018 Pg. 7019759 ( 2018) ISSN: 2314-6141 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 30186866 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating
• Lipopolysaccharides
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• levocetirizine
• Cetirizine

Topics

• Acute Lung Injury (drug therapy)
• Animals
• Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
• Cetirizine (pharmacology)
• Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating (pharmacology)
• Inflammation (drug therapy)
• Lipopolysaccharides
• Lung (immunology, pathology)
• Male
• Pneumonia
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha