Astragalus extract attenuates allergic airway inflammation and inhibits nuclear factor κB expression in asthmatic mice.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Astragalus membranaceus from traditional Chinese herbal medicines previously showed that it possesses a strong anti-inflammatory activity. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effect of astragalus on allergen-induced airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness and investigate its possible molecular mechanisms.

METHODS:

Female BALB/c mice sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) developed airway inflammation. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was assessed for total and differential cell counts and cytokine and chemokine levels. In vivo airway responsiveness to increasing concentrations of methacholine was measured 24 hours after the last OVA challenge using whole-body plethysmography. The expression of inhibitory κB-α and p65 in lung tissues was measured by Western blotting.

RESULTS:

Astragalus extract attenuated lung inflammation, goblet cell hyperplasia and airway hyperresponsiveness in OVA-induced asthma and decreased eosinophils and lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In addition, astragalus extract treatment reduced expression of the key initiators of allergic T(H)2-associated cytokines (interleukin 4, interleukin 5) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, astragalus extract could inhibit nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) expression and suppress NF-κB translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in lung tissue samples.

CONCLUSIONS:

Taken together, our current study demonstrated a potential therapeutic value of astragalus extract in the treatment of asthma and it may act by inhibiting the expression of the NF-κB pathway.

• Authors: Zhao-Chuan Yang, Zheng-Hai Qu, Ming-Ji Yi, Chong Wang, Ni Ran, Ning Xie, Peng Fu, Xue-Ying Feng, Zhi-Dong Lv, Lei Xu
• Journal: The American journal of the medical sciences (Am J Med Sci) Vol. 346 Issue 5 Pg. 390-5 (Nov 2013) ISSN: 1538-2990 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23267235 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• NF-kappa B
• Plant Extracts
• Ovalbumin

Topics

• Animals
• Asthma (metabolism, pathology)
• Astragalus Plant
• Bronchial Hyperreactivity (chemically induced, metabolism, prevention & control)
• Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
• Cells, Cultured
• Disease Models, Animal
• Female
• Hyperplasia
• Lung (drug effects, metabolism, pathology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• NF-kappa B (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Ovalbumin (adverse effects)
• Plant Extracts (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Plethysmography
• Pneumonia (chemically induced, metabolism, prevention & control)
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)