Efektivitas Kulit Bawang Merah dalam Mencegah Kerusakan Mukosa Bronkus dengan Parameter Silia dan Neutrofil Tikus Wistar Akibat Asap Rokok

Abstract

Cigarette smoke exposure is a major risk factor for bronchial mucosal damage, primarily through mechanisms involving oxidative stress and inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of red onion (Allium cepa L.) peel infusion in preventing bronchial mucosal damage in Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) exposed to cigarette smoke. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: a normal control group (K0), a negative control group exposed to cigarette smoke (K−), a positive control group given vitamin C at 25 mg/kgBW with cigarette smoke exposure (K+), and a treatment group given red onion peel infusion at 1000 mg/kgBW along with cigarette smoke exposure (P). The intervention lasted for 30 days. Histopathological analysis was conducted to assess the height of bronchial cilia and the number of neutrophil cells. The results demonstrated that the treatment group showed a significant reduction in neutrophil infiltration and preservation of cilia height compared to the negative control group. These findings indicate that red onion peel infusion has protective effects against bronchial epithelial damage due to cigarette smoke, likely due to its high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory flavonoid content, particularly quercetin. Thus, red onion peel has potential as a natural therapeutic agent in mitigating respiratory tract damage induced by cigarette smoke.