Inhibition of lung damage caused by paraquat with lymphokines or cytokines

Summary Gramoxone®, containing paraquat as an active ingredient can cause severe lung injury in both humans and experimental animals. Biologically active fibroblast-stimulating factors produced by lymphocytes and macrophages may be of importance in the development of interstitial fibrosis. In our present study we have attempted to inhibit the process of paraquat induced lung fibrosis by lymphokine-enriched supernatants from concanavalin A stimulated spleen cell cultures. It was found that adequate supernatant treatment significantly reduced PQ-induced lung injury and its associated inflammatory response.