Rhubarb alleviates hyperoxia induced lung injury in neonatal rats with bronchopulmonary dysplasia by inhibiting inflammation

Purpose: To investigate the effect of rhubarb on hyperoxia-induced lung injury in neonatal rats with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and the underlying mechanism. Methods: Sixty 4-day-old neonatal rats were assigned to air control, BPD, and rhubarb intervention groups, with 20 rats in each group. Immunoblotting was employed to assay NF-kappa B expression. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and SOD were determined spectrophotometrically, while ELISA was used to measure serum levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha. Results: The peripheral blood levels of TNF-alpha, IL-8 and IL-1 beta were markedly higher in BPD-exposed rats than in the air control rats, while peripheral blood levels of TNF-alpha, IL-8 and IL-1 beta were reduced in rhubarb intervention rats, relative to BPD-exposed rats. The activity of SOD was markedly lower in lung tissue of BPD rats than in lung tissue of air control rats, while MDA level was markedly elevated in BPD rats (p < 0.05). There was marked up-regulation of NF-kappa B p65 expression in BPD-exposed rats, relative to air control rats, but it was markedly lower in rhubarb intervention rats than in hyperoxia model rats (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Rhubarb mitigated hyperoxia-induced inflammation, oxidative stress and lung injury in BPD neonatal rat model by inhibiting oxidative stress and reducing the levels of inflammatory factors.