Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Histologic Characterization of Inhaled Heparin in Asthmatic Guinea Pigs
Abstract：Objective:To survey the effects of inhaled heparin on airway inflammation inguinea pigs with asthma and investigate the possible mechanism of inhaled heparin in the treatment of asth-ma. Methods:The asthma in guinea pigs induced by ovalbumin was treated with inhaled heparin. Thechanges of cellularities in bronchoalveolar lavage ( BAL ) fluid and the airway walls were examined. His-tologic examinations were also done in the guinea pig controls. Results: The number of eosinophils, lym-phocytes, and ciliated epithelial cells in the BAL fluid from the group treated with heparin was significant-ly lower than that of the group of asthma controls ( P ＜ 0. 01). Within the airway walls of the heparintreated group, the eosinophil infiltration was less prominent than that of the group of asthma controls(P＜0. 001) and the number of mast cell was significantly higher than that of the group of asthmacontrols ( P ＜ 0. 01). Histologic examination showed that airway damages in the heparin treated groupwere mild. Conclusion : Heparin can inhibit airway inflammation and alleviate airway damage inguinea pigs with asthma.
Keywords：heparinanimalsasthmaairway inflammationguinea pigs
Publication Date：2003-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 35-39 )