International Medical Research Frontier

Objective To investigate the protective effects of Xingren Baihe nano-formulation on rats with pulmonary fibrosis and to evaluate its therapeutic efficacy from multiple perspectives, including pulmonary function, histopathology, inflammatory response, and the expression of fibrosis-related genes. Methods A rat model of pulmonary fibrosis was induced by bleomycin. The fifteen rats were randomly divided into a normal control group, a model group, and a treatment group. The treatment group was administered with the Xingren Baihe nano-formulation. Pulmonary function indicators, including peak expiratory flow (PEF) and tidal volume (VT), were measured. Histopathological changes in lung tissues were observed after HE staining and scored using the Szapiel and Ashcroft scales. The levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-18, IL-6, TNF-α) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by ELISA. The mRNA expression levels of Collagen type I (Col-Ⅰ) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in lung tissue were assessed using quantitative real-time PCR. Results Compared with the normal control group, the model group exhibited significantly reduced PEF and VT (P<0.01), severe destruction of lung tissue structure with marked inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis, significantly higher Szapiel and Ashcroft scores, and significantly upregulated levels of IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α in BALF, as well as increased mRNA expression of Col-Ⅰ and α-SMA in lung tissue (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the treatment group showed significantly increased PEF and VT (P<0.01), markedly improved pathological lung damage, significantly reduced Szapiel and Ashcroft scores (P<0.01), and significantly downregulated levels of the aforementioned inflammatory cytokines and the mRNA expression of Col-Ⅰ and α-SMA (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion The Xingren Baihe nano-formulation effectively improved pulmonary function and alleviated inflammatory responses and pathological damage in rats with pulmonary fibrosis. Its mechanism of action may be associated with the inhibition of inflammatory cytokine release and the downregulation of key fibrotic genes such as Col-Ⅰ and α-SMA, indicating that this formulation holds promising potential for anti-pulmonary fibrosis therapy.

Pulmonary fibrosis; Xingren Baihe formula; Nano-formulation