Fig. 3

Schisandrin A (SchA) and dexamethasone (Dex) reduce emphysema, inflammatory cell infiltration and small airway remodeling in CS-induced COPD model mice. Lung tissues were stained with H&E. Representative histopathological sections of mouse lungs show A expandable alveolar spaces of different degrees (scale bar 200 μm), B invasive inflammatory cells (scale bar 100 μm), and C thickened bronchial wall (scale bar 50 μm). Different indicators were used to quantify these injuries for statistical analysis, as shown in figure (D), the mean linear intercept, which is a quantitative analysis of the severity of emphysema. In addition, quantitative analysis of pulmonary inflammation was determined by E pathological score and F measurement of the total wall area (Wat/Pbm). n = 6 mice per group. Data are shown as the mean ± SEM (F) and median ± IQR (D–E). To test for group differences, Games–Howell (F) and Kruskal‒Wallis (D–E) tests were used. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 versus control group, ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.001 versus CS group, ⁺p < 0.05, ⁺⁺p < 0.01, ⁺⁺⁺p < 0.001 versus CS + DEX group, ^§p < 0.05, ^§§p < 0.01, ^§§§p < 0.001 versus CS + SchA group