AIM: To study the anti-inflammatory mechanism of emodin in rats with Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis.

METHODS: The model of Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis was established and divided into model group and emodin group, 8 in each group and 10 in the normal group. The emodin group was treated with rhubarb, and the model group and the normal group were treated with saline of equal volume. Corneal inflammation index and pathological characteristics were observed. Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6(IL-6), intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor(PPAR), MAPK and NF-κB protein were detected.

RESULTS: The corneal inflammation index, corneal inflammatory cell count, TNF-α, IL-6, ICAM-1, MAPK and NF-κB protein in emodin group were lower than those in model group, and the expression of PPAR protein was higher than that in model group(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Emodin can improve the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and ICAM-1 inflammatory factors by regulating PPAR, MAPK and NF-κB proteins, and play an anti-inflammatory role in rats with Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis.