The efficacy of Frankenia pulverulenta for the treatment of experimental lung fibrosis induced by Bleomycin in Wistar rats

Abstract

<bold>Background:</bold> Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and a fatal respiratory disease with limited therapeutic treatment. IPF is characterized by extracellular matrix deposition due to fibroblasts and myofibroblasts proliferation. <bold>Aims and objectives:</bold> We aimed to investigate in this study the effect of Frankenia pulverulenta extract on an experimental model of lung fibrosis induced by bleomycin (BLM) in Wistar rats. <bold>Methods:</bold> animals were divided into 5 groups of 5 rats each. Control group (G1), BLM group (G2), and 3 groups (G3, G4 and G5) received a daily intra-peritoneal injection of Frankenia pulverulenta (FP) extract at 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, one week before fibrosis induction and 2 weeks after. At the end of the protocol, all rats were sacrificed and lungs were extracted. Antioxidant effects of FP in lung tissues were studied using standard spectrophotometric methods and fibrosis was assessed by histological analysis conforming to Ashcroft score. <bold>Results:</bold> Our phytochemical results showed the presence of polyphenols and flavonoids with an antioxidant power of PF. Histological analysis revealed significant reduction in fibrosis score following treatment with 40 mg/kg (G5) of FP extract. We also revealed normalization in catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities and a reduction in the level of malondialdehyde. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> FP extract play an antifibrotic and antioxidant activities due to its high content with polyphenols.