• Zhansheng Hu, Zhilong Gu, Meina Sun, Ke Zhang, Penghui Gao, Qinwu Yang, and Yuan Yuan.
• Department of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
• J. Surg. Res. 2015 Apr 1;194(2):528-36.

BackgroundSepsis is characterized as a systemic inflammatory response syndrome during infection, which can result in multiple organ dysfunction and death. Ursolic acid (UA), a pentacyclic triterpene acid, has been reported to have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to detect the possible protective effects of UA on sepsis-evoked acute lung injury.Materials And MethodsA rat model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used. Rats were injected intraperitoneally with UA (10 mg/kg) after CLP, and then the survival was determined twice a day for 4 d. The protective effects of UA on CLP-induced acute lung injury were assayed at 24 h after CLP.ResultsThe results revealed that UA treatment markedly improved the survival of septic rats, and attenuated CLP-induced lung injury, including reduction of lung wet/dry weight ratio, infiltration of leukocytes and proteins, myeloperoxidase activity, and malondialdehyde content. In addition, UA significantly decreased the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β, inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in the lung, which are involved in the productions of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that UA exerts protective effects on CLP-induced septic rats. UA may be a potential therapeutic agent against sepsis.Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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