Protection of Pirfenidone against an Early Phase of Oleic Acid-Induced Acute Lung Injury in Rats

Abstract

The potential role of PFD [5-methyl-l-phenyl-2-(1H)-pyridone], an antifibrotic compound with anti-inflammatory effects, in several models of acute lung injury (ALI) has gained increasing attention; however, the protective effect of PFD in oleic acid (OA)-induced ALI remains unknown. We hypothesized that PFD protects from OA-induced ALI in rats, and we hoped to obtain the optimum preclinical conditions with PFD in ALI. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into five groups (five rats per group): normal control group, OA-treated group (0.15 ml/kg), and three PFD-treated groups (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg p.o., respectively). Arterial blood gases, lung wet/dry weight ratio, and postmortem histological changes were determined 0.5, 1, 2, 6, and 24 h after OA challenge. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy was used for free radical detection and measurement. Experiments were examined based on the orthogonal test L4 (4²) setting two factors (PFD dose and PFD valid time) with four different levels. The results of the orthogonal test showed that the sequence of effect of PFD was 0.5 h (oxygen radicals), 1 h (histological changes), 2 h (lung edema), and 6 h (partial pressure of oxygen) after OA challenge, and 40 mg/kg PFD was the most effective dose in this study. We conclude that PFD protects against OA-induced ALI in rats. The mechanism of these protective effects partly involves decrease of oxygen radicals. The data of this study proves that the orthogonal test will be a powerful method to help obtain the optimum experimental conditions with PFD in ALI in the future.