Abstract
Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi has been used for the treatment of diverse chronic inflammatory diseases including respiratory disease in oriental medicine and its major components - baicalin, baicalein and wogonin - were reported to have various biological effects. This study investigated whether baicalin, baicalein and wogonin affect basal and ATP-induced mucin release from cultured airway epithelial cells. Confluent primary hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled using (3)H-glucosamine for 24 h and chased for 30 min in the presence of varying concentrations of each agent to assess the effects on (3)H-mucin release. The results were as follows: (1) Baicalein did not affect both basal and ATP-induced mucin release significantly. (2) Baicalin and wogonin increased basal mucin release at the highest concentrations (10(-3) m). (3) However, baicalin and wogonin significantly inhibited ATP-induced mucin release. It is concluded that baicalin and wogonin can slightly increase basal mucin release whereas they can inhibit ATP-induced mucin release, by directly acting on airway mucin-secreting cells. It is suggested that baicalin and wogonin be further investigated for the possible use as mucoregulators during the treatment of chronic airway diseases.
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