title: Efficacy of a traditional Korean medicine, Chung-Sang-Bo-Ha-Tang, in a murine model of chronic asthma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: National Genome Research Institute, National Institute of Health, 5 Nokbun-dong, Eunpyung-gu, Seoul 122-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Gu Seob
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Seong-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Sinkoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Jung Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jung-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Eunkyung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Younghyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Chongwoon
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hyunsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Sung-Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Kyubum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kwack
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D028321:Plant Preparations; C501508:chung-sang-bo-ha-tang; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin