Emodin Attenuates LPS-Induced ALI in Mice

Forty male BALB/c mice were randomly and evenly divided into 4 groups: Control group, emodin group, LPS group and LPS + emodin group. According to our previous report, ALI was induced by lipopolysaccharide (Escherichia coli, serotype 0111:B4; Sigma–Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) via intratracheal injection [15 (link)]. Briefly, mice were anesthetized with 30 mg/kg of pentobarbital sodium, followed by 10 μg of LPS in 50 μL sterile saline intratracheal injection with a 3-gauge needle. The mice in the Control group were administrated the sterile saline instead. Then, the mice were placed in a vertical position and rotated for 1 min to distribute the instillation in lung. Ten minutes after the LPS injection or saline injection, mice were orally administered with emodin (Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA) at 100 mg/kg every 12 h (7 times in all).