Alpha 2A-adrenoreceptor blockade improves sepsis-induced acute lung injury accompanied with depressed high mobility group box-1 levels in rats

► Inflammatory mediators play an important role in acute lung injury (ALI). ► High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) mediates systemic inflammation and organ damage. ► Alpha 2A-adrenoreceptor blockade improves ALI accompanied with depressed HMGB1. ► The mechanism seemed to be mediated partly through downregulation of NF-κB pathway.