Efficacy of a traditional Korean medicine, Chung-Sang-Bo-Ha-Tang, in a murine model of chronic asthma.
Traditional herbal medicines may be viable alternatives to corticosteroid therapy for treatment of asthma. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of herbal compounds remain a matter of considerable debate. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of Chung-Sang-Bo-Ha-Tang (CSBHT), a herbal compound administrated therapeutically to asthma patients for centuries, on airway inflammation and remodeling in a murine model of chronic asthma. BALB/c mice sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) were chronically challenged with aerosolized OVA for 6 weeks. During the last 2 weeks, some mice were treated daily with CSBHT by intragastric feeding. Dexamethasone (Dex)-treated, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-treated, and naive mice served as controls. The effects of CSBHT on airway inflammation, lung pathology, and cytokine production were evaluated. Mice exposed to recurrent airway challenge with OVA had chronic inflammation and characteristics of airway remodeling, including subepithelial fibrosis, epithelial hypertrophy, and goblet cell hyperplasia. CSBHT was as effective as Dex at moderately reducing these changes compared to the PBS-treated mice. In addition, IL-5 and IFN-gamma levels in supernatants of Concanavalin A (Con A)-activated splenocyte cultures were reduced in mice treated with CSBHT. Treatment with CSBHT during the last 2 weeks of challenge modulated airway inflammation and remodeling in a murine model of chronic asthma. Thus, CSBHT may effectively delay the progression of airway inflammation and remodeling.
Roh
Gu Seob
GS
National Genome Research Institute, National Institute of Health, 5 Nokbun-dong, Eunpyung-gu, Seoul 122-701, South Korea.
Seo
Seong-Won
SW
Yeo
Sinkoo
S
Lee
Jung Min
JM
Choi
Jung-Won
JW
Kim
Eunkyung
E
Shin
Younghyun
Y
Cho
Chongwoon
C
Bae
Hyunsu
H
Jung
Sung-Ki
SK
Kwack
Kyubum
K
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002452:Cell Count; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007723:Korea; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D028321:Plant Preparations; C501508:chung-sang-bo-ha-tang; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin