The Histological Study to Correlate the Effect of NSAIDIbuprofen on the Proportion of Epithelial Height in the Wall of Lower Respiratory Airways

Abstract

Background: The respiratory system consists of upper and lower respiratory tract. The lower respiratory tract consists of the trachea, principal bronchi and the remaining airway in the lungs. The aim of present study is to correlate the chronic use of NSAID-Ibuprofen (therapeutic doses) and histological changes in mucosa of lower respiratory tract of Swiss albino mice. Methods: The adult Swiss albino mice (25 in each group) were given either 40mg/kg commercial ibuprofen suspension (experimental group) or equivalent volume of distilled water (control group) by oral route by gastric gavage method. 7 µm thick longitudinally cut section of lung were studied under microscope after staining with Masson's trichrome, Alcian blue, PAS and H & E stains. Histomorphometry was performed with linear ocular micrometer scale to quantify certain histological parameters namely epithelial height and proportion of epithelium height in an airway wall (PEH). The data was subjected to statistical analysis to obtain significance. Results: Proportion of epithelial height in the walls of airways (PEH) was found to be slightly lower in experimental small, intermediate and large airway groups but when compared with control group it was found to be statistically insignificant. Conclusion: The apparent decrease in the height of epithelium in the airways of the experimental groups along with the increase in proportion of wall thickness (not significant statistically) is suggestive of a corresponding gain in muscle thickness. This feature might reflect the tendency towards bronchospasm in experimental set of mice.