Abstract
Asthma is characterized by the elevated level of Th2 immune responses, oxidative stress, and airway inflammation. Bilsaan, an exudate from the stem of Sambucus nigra, has been traditionally used in the treatment of various ailments in Saudi Arabia. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of Bilsaan against ovalbumin- (OVA-) induced allergic asthma in a mouse model. In order to induce allergic asthma, mice were intraperitoneally injected with alum-emulsified-OVA (20 μg/mouse) on days 0, 14, and 21 that is followed by an intranasal OVA exposure from days 22 to 30. During this time, mice were orally administered with Bilsaan at the doses of 5, 10, and 25 mg/kg. The numbers of total and differential inflammatory cells and the levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) and IgE were determined in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Moreover, the therapeutic effect of Bilsaan was also assessed to analyze the oxidative stress and inflammatory changes in the lung tissues. The results demonstrated that Bilsaan treatment significantly reduced the total and differential inflammatory cell count in the BALF. The BALF from the mice treated with Bilsaan showed significantly lower levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IgE. Interestingly, a similar pattern was observed in IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 secreted by OVA-sensitized splenocytes from the mice of various groups. Bilsaan treatment alleviated the status of oxidative stress by modulating malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase levels in the lung. Moreover, Bilsaan treatment reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells, thickening of alveolar wall, and congestion in the lung tissues. The findings of the present study demonstrated an antiasthmatic effect of Bilsaan through the modulation of Th2 immune responses, inflammation, and the oxidative stress.
Highlights
Asthma influences the life of about 300 million individuals all over the world and is responsible for 250,000 deaths every year
The eosinophil recruitment is mediated by histamine, IL-13, and prostaglandin type 2 that are the most important players in asthma pathogenesis [6]
Allergic asthma is largely characterized by the airway inflammation, the hypersecretion of mucus, the accumulation of inflammatory cells and eosinophils, and the increased production of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines [6, 8]
Summary
Asthma influences the life of about 300 million individuals all over the world and is responsible for 250,000 deaths every year. Cysteinyl leukotrienes, and prostaglandins that mediate in allergic inflammatory responses [8]. New therapeutic strategies have been suggested for asthma treatment through the modulation of the cell signaling pathways and immunologic responses. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, nephroprotective and hepatoprotective effects (Ghorbani A, 2017). Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, antihypertensive, antifibrosis, antiviral, and anticancer activity (Liang et al, 2015). Avicenna (Ibn-e-Sina) wrote that Bilsaan dissipates the clogs and inflammation because of its hot and dry property. It cures sciatica, epilepsy, and headaches and dissolves congestion/phlegm in the chest. Keeping into consideration the common use of Bilsaan to cure the respiratory diseases, we assessed the mechanism of its action in order to understand the therapeutic effects against allergic asthma
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