Bioavailability Enhancement of Cepharanthine via Pulmonary Administration in Rats and Its Therapeutic Potential for Pulmonary Fibrosis Associated with COVID-19 Infection
April 2022
in “
Molecules
”
TLDR Pulmonary delivery of cepharanthine significantly improves its effectiveness and shows promise for treating lung fibrosis linked to COVID-19.
The study investigated the enhancement of cepharanthine (CEP) bioavailability through pulmonary administration in rats, which improved bioavailability by over 5 times compared to oral administration. It also evaluated CEP's therapeutic potential against pulmonary fibrosis, a complication of COVID-19, using a bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis model. CEP significantly reduced collagen accumulation and inflammation, indicating protective effects against pulmonary fibrosis. The findings suggested that pulmonary delivery of CEP could be a promising treatment for COVID-19-related pulmonary fibrosis.
