RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Effects of curcumin or dexamethasone on lung ischaemia–reperfusion injury in rats JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP 398 OP 404 DO 10.1183/09031936.00142407 VO 33 IS 2 A1 J. Sun A1 D. Yang A1 S. Li A1 Z. Xu A1 X. Wang A1 C. Bai YR 2009 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/33/2/398.abstract AB The present study aimed to investigate potential effects of curcumin (CUR) and dexamethasone (DXM) on ischaemia–reperfusion (I/R) induced lung injury in rats. Experimental rats were pre-treated with a single i.p. dose of vehicle, CUR (50 mg·kg−1 or 200 mg·kg−1) or DXM (5 mg·kg−1), 2 h before anaesthesia and subjected to left lung hilus clamping with 90-min ischaemia followed by 4 h of reperfusion. Pre-treatment with CUR (200 mg·kg−1) or DXM markedly attenuated I/R-induced barrier disruption, lung oedema, tissue inflammation, hypoxaemia 4 h after reperfusion, and overactivation of nuclear factor-κB, inflammatory cytokines, myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde. It appears that curcumin attenuates acute lung injury, probably through improving oxidative stress and inhibiting nuclear factor-κB-mediated expression of inflammatory cytokines. Thus, curcumin may be an alternative therapy for improving the outcomes of ischaemia–reperfusion-induced lung injury.