Objective    To observe the effect of artemisinin (ART) on lung injury in septic rats.     Methods    Wistar rats were divided into control

cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)

intragastric administration of ART groups. Sepsis was induced by CLP. At 2

6

12

24

48 and 72 h after CLP

the lung homogenate was collected to examine the concentration of LPS by kinetic turbidimetric limulus test

cytokines of TNF-α and IL-6  by ELISA. Meanwhile

the total mRNA in lung tissues was extracted to detect the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA by real-time RT-PCR and the histomorphology of lung tissues was observed by light microscope.     Results    In ART group

the concentration of LPS

TNF-α and IL-6 in lung homogenate were significantly decreased than those in CLP group (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01) and the expressions of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA were distinctly lower (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). In addition

pathological injury of lung at 24 h was detectably improved after treated with ART.     Conclusion    ART might decrease LPS concentration

inhibit the expression and the releasing of proinflammatory cytokines in lung tissues so as to alleviate the pathological lung injury in septic rats.