title: Curcumin attenuates allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in sensitized guinea pigs.
abstract: Anti-asthmatic property of curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a natural product from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa, has been tested in a guinea pig model of airway hyperresponsiveness. We sensitized guinea pigs with ovalbumin (OVA) to develop certain characteristic features of asthma: allergen induced airway constriction and airway hyperreactivity to histamine. Guinea pigs were treated with curcumin during sensitization (to examine its preventive effect) or after developing impaired airways features (to examine its therapeutic effect). Status of airway constriction and airway hyperreactivity were determined by measuring specific airway conductance (SGaw) using a non-invasive technique, constant-volume body plethysmography. Curcumin (20 mg/kg body weight) treatment significantly inhibits OVA-induced airway constriction (p<0.0399) and airway hyperreactivity (p<0.0043). The results demonstrate that curcumin is effective in improving the impaired airways features in the OVA-sensitized guinea pigs.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology and Immunogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi University Campus, India.
authors.forename: Arjun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.forename: Moumita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Balaram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D003474:Curcumin