Inhalable Nanoemulgel Combining Extracts of Artocarpus heterophyllus Peel Waste and Sonchus arvensis L. Leaves Reduces Interleukin-6, Alveolar Septal Thickening, and Hemorrhage in a Bleomycin-Induced Rat Model of Acute Lung Injury

Background: Anti-inflammatory therapies for acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain limited. Natural products are promising sources of bioactive compounds; Artocarpus heterophyllus (AH; jackfruit) peel waste and Sonchus arvensis L. (SA; tempuyung) leaves contain phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory potential. This study evaluated an inhalable nanoemulgel containing both extracts in bleomycin- induced ALI rats.Materials and methods: AH peel and SA leaves were separately macerated in 70% ethanol for 24 h and 96% ethanol for 72 h, respectively. The extracts were combined (25% each) in a sodium alginate nanoemulgel prepared using aqueous alginate and PEG 7-virgin coconut oil phases, CaCl2-mediated gelation, and centrifugation. Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were randomized to healthy controls or bleomycin-induced groups receiving no extract or nebulized nanoemulgel (400 or 800 mg/kg; n = 6/group). ALI was induced by intratracheal bleomycin (0.75 U/kg). Lung IL-6, alveolar septal thickening, and pulmonary hemorrhage were assessed by ELISA and hematoxylin-eosin staining.Results: Bleomycin increased lung IL-6, alveolar septal thickening, and pulmonary hemorrhage compared with healthy controls (all p<0.0001). Compared with untreated bleomycin-induced rats, 400 mg/kg nanoemulgel reduced IL-6 (p<0.001) and hemorrhage (p<0.0001), but not septal thickening. The 800 mg/kg dose reduced IL-6 and hemorrhage (both p<0.0001) and septal thickening (p<0.001).Conclusion: Nebulized AH-SA nanoemulgel reduced lung IL-6 and pulmonary hemorrhage at both doses, whereas alveolar septal thickening was reduced only at 800 mg/kg. These findings warrant further evaluation of this inhalable formulation for ALI.