title: Reduction of cytokine release of blood and bronchoalveolar mononuclear cells by ambroxol.
abstract: Ambroxol is a mucolytic agent frequently used in the treatment of chronic bronchitis. It has been reported, following clinical and in-vitro studies, that ambroxol exhibits an anti-inflammatory action. This capability was investigated by activating bronchoalveolar lavage cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in-vitro to elicit the release of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-2 and interferon gamma, whilst simultaneously exposing them to varying pharmacological concentrations of ambroxol (10, 1, and 0.1 microM). After 24 h it was observed that the isolated tissue-culture supernatants showed a dose-dependent reduction in the concentration of the tested cytokines; 10 microM (12 to 37% reduction) and 1 microM to (6 to 27% reduction). At 0.1 microM, a significant reduction could only be observed in the release of interleukin-2 by bronchoalveolar lavage cells. These results demonstrate, that ambroxol exhibits anti-inflammatory actions in concentrations achievable in vivo.
authors.affiliation: IIIrd Department of Internal Medicine, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pfeifer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zissel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kienast
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller-Quernheim
mesh_terms: D000551:Ambroxol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005100:Expectorants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D005100:Expectorants; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000551:Ambroxol; D007371:Interferon-gamma