Therapeutic Efficacy of Deslanoside in Oleic Acid-Induced Acute Lung Injury in Rabbits: Implications for Clinical Drug Use and Pharmacological Strategies

Rong HuYi ZhengNing LiYong PanXiaozhen ZhouLu LiuDizheng LiaoYafei Liu^*

• Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Zhuzhou, China

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI) remains a life-threatening condition with limited effective pharmacological options. Deslanoside, a cardiac glycoside traditionally used in heart failure, has recently attracted attention for its anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective properties. Objective: This study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of deslanoside in an oleic acid-induced rabbit ALI model and discussed its potential clinical and pharmacological implications. Deslanoside is known to modulate Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase–related signaling and inhibit the NF-κB–mediated inflammatory cascade, which may contribute to its protective effects in ALI. Methods: Thirty healthy male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned to control (saline) or experimental (deslanoside) groups following intravenous oleic acid injection to induce ALI. Modified lung ultrasound (MLUS) scores, arterial blood gas analysis, lung water content, histopathology, and serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were assessed over 12 hours. Results: Compared with controls, deslanoside treatment significantly improved PaO₂, reduced MLUS scores, decreased lung water content, and lowered histopathological injury scores (all P < 0.05). Inflammatory cytokine levels were also markedly reduced (P < 0.05). No acute adverse drug reactions were observed. Conclusion: Deslanoside demonstrated significant protective effects in oleic acid-induced ALI, improving oxygenation, attenuating pulmonary edema, and reducing inflammation. These findings support the potential repositioning of deslanoside as an adjunctive therapy for ALI and provide experimental evidence to inform future clinical drug use strategies and pharmacological policy discussions.