Abstract
Many studies have been done to evaluate the effect of various natural products in controlling asthma symptoms. Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is known to contain active compounds that have beneficial effects on human health and diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of VCO inhalation on airway remodelling in a rabbit model of allergic asthma. The effects of VCO inhalation on infiltration of airway inflammatory cells, airway structures, goblet cell hyperplasia, and cell proliferation following ovalbumin induction were evaluated. Allergic asthma was induced by a combination of ovalbumin and alum injection and/or followed by ovalbumin inhalation. The effect of VCO inhalation was then evaluated via the rescue or the preventive route. Percentage of inflammatory cells infiltration, thickness of epithelium and mucosa regions, and the numbers of goblet and proliferative cells were reduced in the rescue group but not in preventive group. Analysis using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry found that lauric acid and capric acid were among the most abundant fatty acids present in the sample. Significant improvement was observed in rescue route in alleviating the asthma symptoms, which indicates the VCO was able to relieve asthma-related symptoms more than preventing the onset of asthma.
Highlights
Asthma is an airway disorder that is characterised by a specific pattern of inflammation that is largely driven by immunoglobulin E-dependent mechanisms in the airway [1]
This study showed that Virgin coconut oil (VCO) inhalation can alleviate inflammatory conditions of the airways following i.p
Our current study revealed that the VCO
Summary
Asthma is an airway disorder that is characterised by a specific pattern of inflammation that is largely driven by immunoglobulin E-dependent mechanisms in the airway [1]. In airway remodelling of asthma, a number of changes occur, including epithelial goblet cell hyperplasia and metaplasia, collagen deposition and thickening of the lamina reticularis, smooth muscle hyperplasia, and proliferation of airway blood vessels [4]. Yang et al (2008) studied the effect of an extract of Duchesnea chrysantha on leukocyte infiltration and mucous secretion and reported that the extract reduced inflammation due to leukocyte infiltration and mucous hyperproduction by goblet cells [10]. VCO has been studied extensively because the free fatty acids in this oil have beneficial effects on many aspects of human health and disease such as antibacterial, antiviral, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties [11,12,13]. To provide scientificbased evidence to support anecdotal claims, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of VCO inhalation on airway remodelling in a rabbit model of allergic asthma
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