Protective Activity of Lemna Minor L. In Chronic Bleomycin–induced Lung Inflammation

Abstract

This research investigates the probable effects of induced chronic (28 days) lung inflammations by Bleomycin (BLM) and its oxidative-toxicity protection by the aquatic extract of Lemna minor L. (LME). Balb/c male mice were in every two days exposed to: (1) a controlled normal diet, (2) an LME treatment (120 mg/kg bwt, i.p.), (3) a BLM treatment (0.34 U/kg bwt, i.p.), and (4) an LME (120 mg/kg bwt, i.p.) administered two hours prior to the BLM. At the 30 experimental days of chronic BLM administration, the mice were sacrificed and fresh lung tissue was collected for biochemical determination and EPR analysis. The BLM treatment significantly increased the biochemical indices two-fold (SOD, CAT, MDA, TC) than controls. Furthermore, lung/alveolar cell experiments were performed to investigate the LME modulative and oxidative-protection effect. The results revealed that LME alone and in combination (LME + BLM) inhibited BLM expression by significantly reducing EPR-ascorbate (p < 0.05), ROS production (p < 0.05), and by enhancing enzymatic antioxidants. As a conclusion, our results indicated that chronic BLM toxicity and lung inflammation could be neutralized by long-term LME treatment. Therefore, LME + BLM prevented the detrimental impacts of BLM and have proved to have a potential therapeutic effect on the oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant enzymes and alleviation of lung inflammations.