Protective Role of Erdosteine Pretreatment on Oleic Acid-Induced Acute Lung Injury

Abstract Background Erdosteine is a mucolytic agent with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We evaluated the protective effect of erdosteine pretreatment on oleic acid (OA)-induced acute lung injury. Materials and methods Twenty-four male Wistar Albino rats were assigned to four treatments: control (oral saline + 50 μL intravenous [i.v.] saline), OA (oral saline + 50 μL i.v. OA), erdosteine (150 mg/kg oral erdosteine + 50 μL i.v. saline), and OA + erdosteine (150 mg/kg oral erdosteine + 50 μL i.v. OA). Four hours after OA injection, lung tissues were excised for biochemical and histopathologic evaluation. Results OA treatment increased lung weight and tissue malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels, but erdosteine pretreatment significantly suppressed these changes (0.57 ± 0.1 g, 3.27 ± 0.48 nmol/mg protein, and 33.57 ± 4.6 nmol/mg protein, respectively, for OA versus 0.36 ± 0.02 g, 1.84 ± 0.15 nmol/mg protein, and 22.10 ± 2.55 nmol/mg protein, respectively, for OA + erdosteine; P k/g and 0.3 ± 0.01 U/mg protein, respectively, for OA versus 0.33 ± 0.05 k/g and 0.34 ± 0.01 U/mg protein, respectively, for OA + erdosteine; P versus 12.5, 4.0, and 6.5, respectively, for OA + erdosteine; P Conclusions Erdosteine pretreatment increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes and decreased macrophage and neutrophil accumulation, thereby ameliorating the inflammatory effects of OA treatment. Erdosteine pretreatment prevents OA-induced oxidative stress and inflammation and protects the lung tissue against acute lung injury.