Systemic meta-analysis: apigenin’s effects on lung inflammation and oxidative stress

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of apigenin in rats with acute lung injury (ALI). We also examined changes in levels of inflammatory and antioxidant factors after apigenin treatment in a rat model of ALI.

Methods: We searched several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, ProQuest, and GoogleScholar, to retrieve relevant articles for our systematic review and meta-analysis.

Five studies with 226 rat models of ALI were included in this study. We investigated inflammatory factors and oxidative stress with the corresponding 95% confidence interval in three groups: 1. Group1 (control vs. ALI), 2. Group2 (ALI vs. apigenin10), and 3. Group3 (ALI vs. apigenin20).

Results

Estimating the correlation and 95% confidence intervals for the inflammatory agents and oxidative stress in the intervention group (ALI), compared with that in the control group, respectively (correlation: 0.194; 95% confidence intervals, 0.101–0.282, p value = .001, z-value= 4.08) and (correlation: 0.099; 95% confidence intervals, 0.016–0.182, p value = .020, z value= 2.325). Estimating the correlation and 95% confidence intervals for the inflammatory agents and oxidative stress in the intervention group (apigenin 10 mg/kg), compared with that in the control group (ALI), respectively (correlation: 0.476; 95% confidence intervals, 0.391–0.553, p value = .001, z-value= 9.678) and (correlation: 0.415; 95% confidence intervals, 0.313–0.508, p value= .001, z-value= 7.349).

Conclusion

Apigenin may have potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in rat models of ALI. However, the efficacy of apigenin as a therapeutic strategy requires further investigation through prospective controlled randomized trials.

Keywords:

• Acute lung injury
• apigenin
• anti-inflammatory
• flavonoids

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Data availability statement

Data are available on request to corresponding authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.