Abstract:
Objective To explore the effect of lymphatic transportation on the pathogenesis of silicosis in rats by promoting the intrapulmonary lymphatic transportation by Ginkgo biloba extract.
Methods Wistar male rats were randomly divided into normal control, treatment control, silicosis model, and treatment groups. Each group was further divided into five subgroups according to sampling time of 7, 14, 28, 42, and 56 d, respectively, with six rats in each subgroup. The rats in the silicosis model group and the treatment group were injected with 1 mL silica suspension (50 mg/mL) by intratracheal instillation. The treatment group was injected with Ginkgo biloba extract suspension (100 mg/kg) everyday by gavage. The normal control was given saline at the same volume, and the treatment control group was given Ginkgo biloba extract suspension at the same volume. The levels of hydroxyproline (HYP) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) in lung and silicon in lymph were measured for each group.
Results Compared with the control group, both the VEGFR-3 and silicon in lymph rose up and peaked on day 14, while the HYP level continuously increased over time in both the silicosis model group and the treatment group. Compared with the silicosis model group, the level of VEGFR-3 in the treatment group significantly increased from day 28 to day 56 (P < 0.05), the level of silicon in lymph also increased from day 7 to day 28 (P < 0.05), and the level of HYP decreased at all time points (P < 0.05). The level of silicon in lymph was positively correlated with the level of VEGRF-3 in lung in the model group and the treatment group (r=0.651, P < 0.01; r=0.613, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with the level of HYP (r=-0.786, P < 0.01; r=-0.899, P < 0.01), according to the results of Pearson correlation analysis.
Conclusion Ginkgo biloba extract could promote lymphatic circulation and accelerate lymphatic transport of silica in lung.
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