Abstract:Objective To investigate the effect of ginsenosides on the experimental pulmonary edema in rabbits. Methods A total of 18 rabbits were randomly divided into normal group, model group, ginsenosides group. In the ginsenosides group, rabbits received an intragastric administration of 50 mg/kg ginsenosides for 7 days, followed by injection of 1 mg adrenaline (AD) after 30 min. In the model group, 30 min after a corresponding bolus of normal saline, AD was administrated. Normal group were injected with a corresponding bolus of normal saline.The effect of ginsenosides was evaluated by light microscope, the indications of the animals as breathing and lung index, super oxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA). The expression levels of C/EBPα were detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of mTOR and S6K1 detected by flow cytometry. Western Blot was used to detect the proteins expression of NLRP3 and SirT1 pathway. Results In the model group, lung index and MDA were significantly higher and SOD was lower compared with the normal group; in the ginsenosides group, lung index and MDA were significantly lower and SOD was higher compared with the normal group (P < 0.05). Histopathological alterations presented broken alveolar wall, edema thickened alveolar septum in alveolar spaces and dust cells. Light microscopic analysis disclosed that lungs were less deteriorated in the ginsenosides group than in the model group. Ginsenoside reduced the level of C/EBPα, mTOR,S6K1 and NLRP3 and increased SirT1. Conclusions The protective effect of ginsenosides on AD-induced pulmonary edema and remodeling might be partly regulated by C/EBPα expression, mTOR, SirT1/NLRP3 signaling.