Caffeic acid phenethyl ester and vitamin E moderates IL-1 beta and IL-6 in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), which has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anticancerogenic, and antioxidant effects, and vitamin E on IL-1 beta and IL-6 in bleomycin-induced (BLM-induced) pulmonary fibrosis in rats. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into four groups as untreated control, bleomycin, bleomycin + CAPE, and bleomycin + vitamin E groups. At the end of the treatment, blood IL-1 beta and IL-6 levels were quantified. Bleomycin application to the rats resulted in a significant increase in the cytokine levels as compared to the controls. Administration of CAPE and vitamin E prevented the increase of blood IL-1 beta and IL-6 levels compared to the rats treated with bleomycin alone. Data presented here suggest that CAPE and vitamin E play a protective and moderator role against BLM-induced lung injuries by decreasing the primary inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1 beta and IL-6. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.