**Clearance of Free Silica in Rat Lungs by Spraying with Chinese Herbal Kombucha Kampuchea-kombucha**

Sheng-jun Jiang, Nai-fang Fu, Zhi-chao Dong, Chang-hui Luo, Jun-cai Wu, Yan-yan Zheng, Yong-jin Gan, Jian-an Ling, Heng-qiu Liang, Dan-yu Liang, Jing Xie, Xiao-qin Chen, Xian-jun Li, Rui-hui Pan, Zuo-Xing Chen and Lu-lu Zhang Chang-hui Luo, Jun-cai Wu, Yan-yan Zheng, Yong-jin Gan, Jian-an Ling, Heng-qiu Liang, Dan-yu Liang, Jing Xie, Xiao-qin Chen, Xian-jun Li, Rui-hui Pan, Zuo-Xing Chen and Lu-lu Zhang Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Sheng-jun Jiang, Nai-fang Fu, Zhi-chao Dong,

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66970

#### **Abstract**

The effects of spraying with kombucha and Chinese herbal kombucha were compared with treatments with tetrandrine in a rat silicosis model. Silica dust (50 mg) was injected into the lungs of rats, which were then treated with one of the experimental treatments for a month. The rats were then killed, and the effects of the treatments were evaluated by examining the extent and severity of the histopathological lesions in the animals' lungs, measuring their organ coefficients and lung collagen contents, determining the dry and wet weights of their lungs, and measuring the free silica content of the dried lungs. In addition, lavage was performed on whole lungs taken from selected rats, and the numbers and types of cells in the lavage fluid were counted. The most effective treatment in terms of the ability to reduce lung collagen content and minimize the formation of pulmonary histopathological lesions was tetrandrine treatment, followed by Chinese herbal kombucha and non‐Chinese herbal kombucha. However, the lavage fluid cell counts indicated that tetrandrine treatment had severe adverse effects on macrophage viability. This effect was much less pronounced for the kombucha and Chinese herbal kombucha treatments. Moreover, the free silica levels in the lungs of animals treated with Chinese herbal kombucha were significantly lower than those for any other silica‐exposed group. These preliminary results indicate that spraying with Chinese herbal kombucha preparations can effectively promote the discharge of silica dust from lung tissues. Chinese herbal kombucha inhalation may thus be a useful new treatment for silicosis and other pneumoconiosis diseases.

**Keywords:** clearance, silica particles, rat, silicosis, Chinese herbal kombucha

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© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons © 2017 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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### **1. Introduction**

Silicosis is a pneumoconiosis disease caused by exposure to various forms of silica dust including crystalline silica and amorphous silica dust [1]. It is caused by the inhalation of fine silica particles, which are deposited in the lungs and ingested by macrophages. This triggers an immune response that stimulates the production of collagen around the particle, resulting in the formation of nodular lesions that obstruct the airways. Occupational exposure to silica dust and the resulting health problems are major public health issues in both developed and developing countries [2]. It was recently reported that 23 million workers in China have been exposed to crystalline silica dust, and that more than ten million workers in India are at risk of exposure [3, 4]. Similarly, more than 1.7 million workers in the USA and more than 3 million workers in Europe are likely to have been exposed to silica dust in the workplace [5, 6]. Silicosis has a range of adverse effects on health, including an increased susceptibility to tuberculosis, lung cancer, and pulmonary heart disease. These problems are exacerbated by the lack of an effective treatment for the condition.

Kombucha is a drink made by fermenting sugar and tea extracts with kombucha. It is rich in acetic acid bacteria, yeast probiotics, acetic acid, and other organic acids that are beneficial to human health and can inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. It has proven to be a good treatment for atrophic gastritis and gastric ulcer disease and can also help to regulate blood pressure and slow aging and to prevent and treat various diseases [7]. Kombucha contains two notable groups of microorganisms: *Gluconoacetobacter xylinus* (Xylinum) and yeasts. Xylinum secretes bacterial cellulose through holes in its cell walls. Interestingly, kombucha cultures produce bacterial cellulose more efficiently than cultures of Xylinum alone [8, 9]. The bacterial cellulose produced by Kampuchea cultures has a number of properties that make it potentially useful in medical applications, including good biocompatibility, thinness (the cellulose sheets are typically only 0.1 μm thick), and a high‐specific surface area. These properties mean that it functions as a nanoscale functional material with a defined three‐dimensional structure and a large number of surface‐exposed hydroxyl groups, which allow it to form strong noncovalent bonds with water and also a wide range of ions and organic compounds [10]. It has been demonstrated that bacterial cellulose efficiently adsorbs numerous toxic heavy metal ions, including Cu2+, Pb2+, Hg2+, and Cd2+. In addition, it adsorbs a range of nonmetallic toxins such as histamines, ammonia, and NO<sup>2</sup> and formaldehyde [11–16]. We therefore hypothesized that if kombucha was sprayed into lung tissues, the bacterial cellulose produced by the culture might adsorb dust and protein precipitates that would otherwise cause the symptoms of silicosis.

Chinese herbal kombucha preparations can be made by fermenting extracts of various plants with a Kampuchea culture. If the plants used in these preparations contain biologically active substances, the resulting Chinese herbal kombucha may combine the beneficial effects of the Kampuchea itself with those of the plants. A range of plants and herbs can be used for this purpose, including licorice, *Siratia grosvenori*, mangosteen, and chrysanthemum. Licorice is known to have numerous pharmacological effects and is widely used in traditional medicine. It contains a range of biologically active compounds, including glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, and the licorice flavonoids. Both licorice and the isolated active compounds are known to have antitussive and expectorant properties. Moreover, it is effective against asthma and offers protection against respiratory pathogens [17, 18]. *Siratia grosvenori* is a specific Chinese plant belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae. When dried, its fruit is very sweet and has a cooling effect. It is an important ingredient of "cooling drinks" and is considered to be beneficial for relieving conditions characterized by high body temperatures, such as inflammation. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat chest pains, dry coughs, sore throats, and aphonia [19]. Mangosteen aqueous extracts have been shown to significantly reduce the frequency of coughing in guinea pigs treated with citric acid or capsaicin and inhibits coughing caused by mechanical stimulation [20]. Chrysanthemum is an important medicinal plant that has various pharmacological effects. Among other things, it functions as an antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, vasodilatory, and antitumor agent, as well as reducing blood pressure and acting as an antioxidant [21]. Teas made from the buds of the camellia plant contain many bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, tea polysaccharides, alkaloids, vitamins, and amino acids, as well as various essential metal ions. As a result, they have a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, and antithrombosis effects, as well as being useful in the treatment of diabetes and for reducing blood pressure [22, 23].

In light of these facts, we sought to investigate the utility of kombucha and various Chinese herbal Kampuchea mixtures for the treatment of silicosis and other diseases arising from the presence of dust in the lungs. To this end, rats were exposed to silica dust via tracheal injection and then sprayed with Chinese herbal and non‐Chinese herbal kombucha solutions. The results of the kombucha treatments were compared to those observed following treatment with tetrandrine, a compound that is known to be useful for mitigating the symptoms of silicosis [24]. The different treatments were evaluated in terms of their effects on lung anatomy, collagen levels in the lung tissues of the experimental animals, and toxicity.
