Background/Aims: Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) is a serious health problem, and an effective treatment is needed for use in the clinical setting. Methods: In this study, we first constructed ALI models in Adult Sprague-Dawley rats. We then used an herbal medicine, Houttuynia cordata (HC), to enhance the effect of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) on ALI. Results: (1) HC improved the therapeutic effects of EPCs on lipopolysachharide-induced ALI in the rat model; (2) HC down-regulated the anti-inflammatory response by suppressing inflammatory cytokines; (3) the combination of EPC and HC reduced expression of iNOS and ET-1 and subsequently prevented lung injury. Conclusion: Combined EPC and HC therapy was more effective than either therapy alone. EPC and HC could be used in the clinical treatment of ALI.

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Treatment with penehyclidine hydrochloride could improve liver function during CPB.