Zerumbone is a
sesquiterpene compound isolated from the rhizome of wild ginger, Zingiber zerumbet Smith. The rhizomes of the plant are used as a spice and
traditional medicine.
Zerumbone was shown to possess anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and
antioxidant properties. However, the
antiallergic activity and the underlying mechanism of
zerumbone have not been reported. Herein, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of
zerumbone on
antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) in vitro and its potential
therapeutic effects against
ovalbumin (OVA)-induced T helper 2 (Th2)-mediated
asthma in mice. In the presence of
zerumbone,
lipopolysaccharide-activated bone marrow-derived DCs enhanced T cell proliferation and Th1 cell polarization in an allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. In animal experiments, mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA, and were orally treated with different doses of
zerumbone after sensitization. Circulating titers of OVA-specific
antibodies,
airway hyperresponsiveness to
methacholine, histological changes in lung tissues, the cell composition and
cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and
cytokine profiles of spleen cells were assessed. Compared to OVA-induced hallmarks of
asthma,
oral administration of
zerumbone induced lower OVA-specific
immunoglobulin E (
IgE) and higher
IgG2a antibody production, attenuated
airway hyperresponsiveness, prevented eosinophilic pulmonary infiltration, and ameliorated mucus hypersecretion.
Zerumbone treatment also reduced the production of eotaxin, keratinocyte-derived
chemokine (KC),
interleukin (IL)-4,
IL-5,
IL-10, and
IL-13, and promoted Th1
cytokine interferon (IFN)-γ production in asthmatic mice. Taken together, these results suggest that
zerumbone exhibits an
antiallergic effect via modulation of Th1/Th2
cytokines in an asthmatic mouse model.