Protective Effect of Grape Seed Extract against the Fibrogenic Effect of Bleomycin in Rat Lung

Many studies have been performed for treatment or prevention of pulmonaryfibrosis. however, no effective treatment has been found yet. the aim of this studywas to investigate the effect of grape seed extract on bleomycin-induced lungfibrosis in rat. hydroalcoholic extract of grape seed (vitis vinifera) was preparedusing maceration method. nmri rats weighing 250-300 g were given singleintratracheal instillation of bleomycin (7.5 iu/kg=5 mg/kg) or saline. the experimentalgroups were treated with a single dose of bleomycin followed by different doses oforal grape seed extract (100, 200, 400 mg/kg/day) or vitamin e (20 iu/kg) for twoweeks, and then the animals were sacrificed and lungs were removed for histologyand biochemical investigation. histopathological examination of bleomycin-treatedanimals showed that bleomycin caused marked alveolar thickening associated withfibroblasts and myofibroblasts proliferation and collagen production in interstitialtissue leading to pulmonary fibrosis. administration of grape seed extract reducedfibrotic damages in lung tissue in a dose-dependent manner. the effect of grape seedwas comparable to that of vitamin e. collagen and hydroxyproline contents of lungtissue were determined using spectrophotometric method. lung weight,hydroxyproline and collagen amounts in bleomycin treated animals were significantlyhigher than in normal, vitamin e and grape seed treated groups. from this study,it can be concluded that grape seed extract may be able to diminish the fibrogeniceffects of bleomycin on lung. this effect of grape seed can be attributed to activeingredients of the plant with anti-oxidant properties.