Potential Protective Effect of Agmatine on Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Male Albino Rats

Khlood Mehdar

Background and Objective: Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) etiology remains unclear with limited therapeutic options. Uncontrolled lung fibroblast proliferation produces excessive ECM proteins, leading to fibrosis. This study explores the protective effect of Agmatine (agma) and pirfenidone (PFD) on BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. Materials and Methods: About 30 male adult Sprague-Dawley albino rats 6-8 weeks old, weighing 200±25 g were divided into five groups: Control group, BLM group, BLM+PFD group, BLM+agma group and BLM+PFD+agma group. Finally, all animals were sacrificed after 28 days. Lung samples were obtained for histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical studies. Data were statistically analyzed One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by the post hoc Tukey’s test. Results: The study found that BLM treatment led to decreased SOD and GSH levels and increased HGMB1 and MDA levels. However, treatment with PFD, agma and PFD+agma resulted in lower HMGP1 and MDA levels and higher SOD and GSH levels. Agma treatment helped to restore the standard epithelial lining of the bronchi and alveoli. The BLM+PFD and BLM+Agmatine groups had reduced interalveolar septa thickness, while the BLM+PFD+Agmatine group showed a significant decrease in the mean surface area of alveolar space and location of collagen fibers. Conclusion: Agmatine, combined with PFD, was shown to reduce the severity of BLM-induced histological and biochemical alterations in rat lungs without completely reversing them. Possible explanations include agma’s ability to reduce inflammation, act as an antioxidant and mop up free radicals. These findings can be of value for future clinical applications.

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