Inhibition of Release of Vasoactive and Inflammatory Mediators in Airway and Vascular Tissues and Macrophages by a Chinese Herbal Medicine Formula for Allergic Rhinitis

George Binh Lenon,Charlie Changli Xue,David Frederick Story,Chun Guang Li,Francis Chung Kong Thien

doi:10.1093/ecam/nel083

George Binh Lenon, Charlie Changli Xue + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nel083

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Abstract

Herbal therapies are being used increasingly for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible pharmacological actions and cellular targets of a Chinese herbal formula (RCM-101), which was previously shown to be effective in reducing seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Rat and guinea pig isolated tissues (trachea and aorta) were used to study the effects of RCM-101 on responses to various mediators. Production of leukotriene B4 in porcine neutrophils and of prostaglandin E2 and nitric oxide (NO) in Raw 264.7 cells were also measured. In rat and guinea pig tracheal preparations, RCM-101 inhibited contractile responses to compound 48/80 but not those to histamine (guinea pig preparations) or serotonin (rat preparations). Contractile responses of guinea pig tracheal preparations to carbachol and leukotriene C4, and relaxant responses to substance P and prostaglandin E2 were not affected by RCM-101. In rat aortic preparations, precontracted with phenylephrine, endothelium-dependent relaxant responses to acetylcholine and endothelium-independent relaxant responses to sodium nitroprusside were not affected by RCM-101. However, RCM-101 inhibited relaxations to l-arginine in endothelium-denuded rat aortic preparations, which had been pre-incubated with lipopolysaccharide. RCM-101 did not affect leukotriene B4 formation in isolated porcine neutrophils, induced by the calcium ionophore A23187; however, it inhibited prostaglandin E2 and NO production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine macrophages (Raw 264.7 cells).The findings indicate that RCM-101 may have multiple inhibitory actions on the release and/or synthesis of inflammatory mediators involved in allergic rhinitis.

Highlights

Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), known as hay fever or pollinosis, is a common allergic condition worldwide [1,2,3]
The present study has demonstrated that a Chinese herbal formula RCM-101, which is effective in the symptomatic treatment of SAR [13], inhibits the contractile responses of rat and guinea pig tracheal preparations to the mast cell activator, compound 48/80
The aqueous extract of RCM-101 did not affect contractile responses of tracheal preparations elicited by exogenous histamine or serotonin, most likely this indicates that RCM-101 inhibits the release of histamine and serotonin in the respective tracheal preparations

Summary

Introduction

Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), known as hay fever or pollinosis, is a common allergic condition worldwide [1,2,3]. SAR is an immune response to a wide variety of pollens from grasses, weeds and trees [4] It involves the interaction of the allergens with specific IgE antibodies bound to high-affinity Fce receptors on the surface of mast cells and basophils in the nasal mucosa [5]. This induces degranulation of these cells, SAR is usually treated symptomatically with histamine H1 receptor antagonists, sympathomimetic vasoconstrictors and corticosteroids. These agents are associated with certain undesirable side effects and, frequently, do not provide.

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