Fig. 1

Yangqing Chenfei Formula (YCF) attenuates inflammatory cell infiltration, pathological damage, and collagen deposition in the lungs of rats with silicosis by decreasing the number of macrophages. A HE staining of lung tissue from rats with silicosis (200×). B Expression of CD68 and iNOS (200×) and the integral optical density of iNOS using immunohistochemistry. C–E The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, respectively, in lung tissue homogenates. F Masson staining of lung tissue from rats with silicosis (200×) and collagen volume fraction. G Expression of COL-1 and COL-3 (200×) and the IOD of COL-1 and COL-3 using immunohistochemistry. All data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 6). ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01 vs. Normal rats; ^*p < 0.05, ^**p < 0.01 vs. Model rats