Inhibition of inflammatory responses by ambroxol, a mucolytic agent, in a murine model of acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide

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Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate whether ambroxol inhibits inflammatory responses in a murine model of lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Mice (n=295) were first intratracheally instilled with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce ALI and then received an intraperitoneal (ip) injection of either normal saline (NS), ambroxol (30 or 90 mg/kg per day) or dexamethasone (2.5 or 5 mg/kg per day) for 7 days. Metabolism (n=10, each), lung morphology (n=5, each) and wet-to-dry lung weight ratio (n=10, each) were studied. The levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor (TGF-β1)and the protein concentration (n=5 or 7, each) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were measured. Mice with LPS-induced ALI that were treated with ambroxol at a dosage of 90 mg/kg per day significantly gained weight compared to the control and dexamethasone-treated groups. Ambroxol and dexamethasone significantly reduced the lung hemorrhage, edema, exudation, neutrophil infiltration and total lung injury histology score at 24 and 48 h. In addition, ambroxol and dexamethasone significantly attenuated the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio at 24 and 48 h (pp<0.05). Ambroxol inhibited proinflammatory cytokines, reduced lung inflammation and accelerated recovery from LPS-induced ALI.

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