The Effects of Erdosteine on Lung Injury Induced by the Ischemia-Reperfusion of the Hind-Limbs in Rats

BackroundThe goal of this experimental study was to investigate whether erdosteine has a protective effect against lung injury as a remote organ after hind-limb ischemia-reperfusion (I/R).Materials and methodsThe rats were divided into three groups: control, I/R, and I/R + erdosteine. After the experimental procedure, nitric oxide (NO) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO), adenosine deaminase (ADA), and the activities of xanthine oxidase (XO) were determined on the lung tissue. The levels of NO and activities of MPO were also measured on the bronchial alveolar lavage (BAL). In addition, the lung tissue was examined by histopathology.ResultsThe lung tissue ADA and XO activities were increased in the I/R group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In the I/R group, the levels of NO were higher than the control group (P < 0.05), whereas the erdosteine treatment did not alter the NO levels (P < 0.05). The MPO activities increased after I/R in the I/R group compared to both control and I/R + erdosteine group (P < 0.05).The activity of MPO increased in the IR group in comparison with the control group in BAL (P < 0.05). The activity of MPO in the I/R + erdosteine group was significantly lower than the I/R group in BAL (P < 0.05). NO levels increased in all I/R groups compared to control group in BAL (P < 0.05). However, treatment of erdosteine significantly decreased NO levels compared to I/R group (P < 0.05).The animals of the I/R group had total destruction of normal alveolar structure with the intense presence of infiltrating neutrophils and mononuclear phagocytes in histopathological examination. The rat lung exhibited mild degrees of destruction in the erdosteine group.ConclusionsAs a result, erdosteine may be a protective effect for lung injury, decreasing oxidative stress and neutrophil accumulation after hind-limb I/R in rats.