Journal Article

Evaluation of the protective effect of Compound Kushen Injection against radiation‑induced lung injury in mice

Nguyen, Phuong, Wu, Lirong, Cohen, Lorenzo, Yang, Peiying, Wei, Bo, Wei, Daoyan, Gagea, Mihai, Chakraborty, Sharmistha, Tran, Megan, Rhea, Robyn, Liao, Zhongxing, Xie, Xiaoxue, Xu, Ting

2025

Overview

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is a prevalent complication following thoracic radiation, and currently there is a lack of effective intervention options. The present study investigated the potential of Compound Kushen Injection (CKI), a botanical drug, to mitigate inflammatory responses in mice with RILI, along with its underlying mechanisms of action. C3H mice underwent total lung irradiation (TLI) and intraperitoneal injection of CKI (2, 4 or 8 ml/kg) once daily for 8 weeks. Pre-radiation treatment with 4 or 8 ml/kg CKI starting 2 weeks before TLI or concurrent treatment of 8 ml/kg CKI with TLI led to a significantly longer overall survival compared with the TLI vehicle-treated group. Micro-computed tomography evaluations showed that concurrent treatment with 8 ml/kg CKI was associated with a significantly lower incidence of RILI. Histological evaluations revealed that concurrent CKI (4 and 8 ml/kg) treatment significantly reduced grades of lung inflammation. Following radiation at 72 h, TLI plus vehicle-treated mice had significantly elevated serum IL6, IL17A, and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) levels compared with non-irradiated normal mice. Conversely, mice that received TLI plus CKI displayed lower cytokine levels than those in the TLI plus vehicle-treated mice. Immunohistochemistry staining showed a reduction of TGF-β positive cells in the lung tissues of TLI mice after CKI treatment. The concurrent TLI CKI-treated mice had a significantly reduced cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) activity and COX-2 metabolites compared with TLI vehicle-treated mice. These data highlight that CKI substantially reduced radiation-induced lung inflammation, mitigated RILI incidence, and prolonged overall survival.

• Publisher: D.A. Spandidos,Spandidos Publications,Spandidos Publications UK Ltd
• Subject: Animals / Beans / Breast cancer / Cancer therapies / Care and treatment / Causes of / Cell cycle / Complications and side effects / Compound Kushen Injection / Computed tomography / COX-2 metabolism / Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism / Cyclooxygenase-2 / Cytokines / Cytokines - blood / Disease Models, Animal / Drug dosages / Drugs, Chinese Herbal - administration & dosage / Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology / Evaluation / Good Manufacturing Practice / Health aspects / Hypoxia / Immunohistochemistry / Inflammation / Injection / Interleukin-6 - blood / Legumes / Lung - drug effects / Lung - metabolism / Lung - pathology / Lung - radiation effects / Lung cancer / Lung diseases / Lung Injury - drug therapy / Lung Injury - etiology / Lung Injury - pathology / Lungs / Male / Methods / Mice / Mimosaceae / Oncology / pro-inflammatory cytokines / Quality of life / Radiation / Radiation Injuries, Experimental - drug therapy / Radiation Injuries, Experimental - pathology / radiation-induced lung injury / Radiation-Protective Agents - pharmacology / Radiotherapy / Thorax / Traditional Chinese medicine / Transforming Growth Factor beta - blood / Transforming growth factor-b / X-Ray Microtomography