Qing Fei Hua Xian Decoction ameliorates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by suppressing oxidative stress through balancing ACE-AngII-AT1R/ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis.

Figure 1. Qing Fei Hua Xian Decoction reduced Bleomycin-induced alveolus inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis in rats. (A) Representative images of Hematoxylin and Eosin staining of lung tissues, magnification × 200. The scale bar was 50 μm. Alveolitis score in each group was evaluated based on Hematoxylin and Eosin staining images. (B) Representative images of Masson’s trichrome staining of lung tissues, magnification × 200. The scale bar was 50 μm. Collagen ratios of the different groups were quantified by using Image J software. Data were expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3). **P<0.01 vs control group; ##P<0.01, #P<0.05 vs fibrosis group

Figure 2. Qing Fei Hua Xian Decoction suppressed collagen I and III expressions in lung tissues of Bleomycin-induced rats. (A-C) Protein expressions of collagen I and III with western blotting analysis. Values were expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3). **P<0.01 vs control group; ##P<0.01, #P<0.05 vs fibrosis group

Figure 3. Qing Fei Hua Xian Decoction down-regulated vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin expressions in lung tissues of Bleomycin-induced rats. (A-C) protein expressions of vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin with western blotting analysis. Values were expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3). **P<0.01 vs control group; ##P<0.01, #P<0.05 vs fibrosis group

Figure 4.. Qing Fei Hua Xian Decoction down-regulated angiotensin-converting enzyme, angiotensinogen, and angiotensin II type 1 receptor protein expressions in lung tissues of Bleomycin-induced rats. (A-D) Protein expressions of angiotensin-converting enzyme, angiotensinogen, and angiotensin II type 1 receptor with western blotting analysis. Values were expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3). **P<0.01 vs control group; ##P<0.01, #P<0.05 vs fibrosis group

Figure 5. Qing Fei Hua Xian Decoction up-regulated angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and Mas protein expressions in lung tissues of Bleomycin-induced rats. (A-C)The protein expressions of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and Mas with western blotting analysis. Values were expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3). **P<0.01 vs control group; ##P<0.01, #P<0.05 vs fibrosis group

Figure 6. Qing Fei Hua Xian Decoction inhabited NADPH oxidase 4 and facilitated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 protein expression in lung tissues of Bleomycin-induced rats. (A-C) Protein expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and NADPH oxidase 4 with western blotting analysis. Values were expressed as mean ± SD (n= 3). **P<0.01 vs control group; ##P<0.01, #P<0.05 vs fibrosis group

Figure 7. Molecular mechanism diagram of Qing Fei Hua Xian decoction against Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis