［Key words］ lung; histiocytes; poisoning; rats,Sprague-Dawley; yellow phosphorus; apoptosis; Xuebijing
（1）To study the pathological changes and apoptosis of lung tissues in acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI-ARDS) rats induced by acute inhaling of yellow phosphorus (YP) and its compounds；（2） To study the curative effect of Xuebijing. Methods: Eighty-five healthy SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: a normal control group (group NC), a ALI-ARDS model group (group MD), and 3 treatment groups (groups A, B, and C). Experimental ALI-ARDS was caused in all the rats except those in group NC by giving YP and its compounds through respiratory tract. Curative results of different treatment medicines by i.v. on the ALI-ARDS were observed in rats of groups MD (5% glucose, 5 ml/kg), A (Xuebijing injection, 5 ml/kg), B (dexamethasone injection, 5 mg/kg ) and C (Xuebijing injection 5 ml/kg plus dexamethasone injection 1 mg/kg) by checking pathological changes and cell apoptosis in rat lung tissues (TUNEL method). Results: （1） In rats of group MD, the lung tissue was injured seriously, and edema, hemorrhage, degeneration, necrosis, and inflammatory cell infiltration obviously occurred in lungs, and the number of apoptosis cells increased remarkably; （2）The pathological damage of lung tissue of rats in groups A, B, and C was milder, and the numbers of apoptosis cells were less when compared with those of group MD. Conclusions: （1） The establishment of ALI-ARDS model with rats is successful; （2） Xuebijing injection has curative effect to ALI-ARDS caused by acute inhaling of YP and its compounds; （3）Apoptosis of lung tissue cells participates in the pathological process of ALI-ARDS in rats caused by acute inhaling of YP and its compounds, and Xuebijing intravenous injection might adjust the apoptosis of lung tissue cells .
