AccScience Publishing / EJMO / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/EJMO025170148
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Therapeutic potential of Aronia melanocarpa in the prevention of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in rats

Metin Bağcı1 ,  Taha Ulutan Kars1* ,  Hasan İbrahim Kozan2 ,  Seda Yılmaz1 ,  Sümeyye Uçar3 ,  Aslı Okan Oflamaz4 ,  Seher Yılmaz5 ,  Züleyha Doğanyiğit4 ,  Abdulkadir Baştürk1
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1 Hematology Clinic, Konya City Hospital, Health Science University, Konya, Türkiye
2 Department of Food Processing, Meram Vocational School, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Türkiye
3 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye
4 Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Bozok University, Yozgat, Türkiye
5 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Bozok University, Yozgat, Türkiye
EJMO, 025170148 https://doi.org/10.36922/EJMO025170148
Received: 26 April 2025 | Revised: 3 August 2025 | Accepted: 11 August 2025 | Published online: 22 September 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Introduction: Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and life-threatening condition frequently associated with chemotherapeutic agents, such as bleomycin (BLE). Aronia melanocarpa extract (AME), a potent antioxidant derived from black chokeberry, has shown promising anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in various pre-clinical models.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the protective and therapeutic effects of AME in a rat model of BLE-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Methods: A total of 60 rats were divided into six groups: control, fibrosis (BLE only), positive control (BLE + methylprednisolone), AME-only, AME + BLE (AME administered concurrently with BLE), and BLE + AME (AME administered after fibrosis induction). Lung tissues were analyzed histologically and biochemically for inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative stress markers.

Results: AME administration significantly reduced alveolar wall thickening, hemorrhage, cellular infiltration, and collagen deposition. These effects were more pronounced in the AME + BLE group, indicating a potential prophylactic advantage. In addition, AME restored antioxidant enzyme levels and suppressed lipid peroxidation.

Conclusion: AME exhibits both preventive and therapeutic effects against BLE-induced lung injury. Its polyphenol-rich composition and antioxidative properties support its potential as a low-cost, low-toxicity candidate in pulmonary fibrosis management.

Keywords
Aronia melanocarpa
Bleomycin
Lung fibrosis
Oxidative stress
Antioxidant
Animal model
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, that could be perceived to influence the outcomes or interpretation of this study. No commercial or institutional affiliations exist that might constitute a potential conflict. All authors confirm that they have no relationships with any entities that might have an interest in the submitted work.
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Eurasian Journal of Medicine and Oncology, Electronic ISSN: 2587-196X Print ISSN: 2587-2400, Published by AccScience Publishing
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