title: In vitro anti-allergic activities of a newly concocted traditional Chinese medicine--the wheeze-relief formula.
abstract: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide. Western medications such as glucocorticoids are effective therapeutic agents but may be associated with side effects. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for treating allergic diseases with observable clinical benefits. The present study investigated whether a novel TCM concoction, the wheeze-relief formula (WRF), possesses in vitro anti-allergic activities. We measured the effects of WRF on the release of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) by human eosinophils using fluorescence enzyme immunoassay, expression of chemokine receptor CCR3 and adhesion molecule CD49d on eosinophils using immunophenotyping, cytokine induction from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using cytometric bead array (CBA), and the gene expression of cytokines and cytokine receptors using cDNA expression array. Results demonstrated that WRF dose-dependently and significantly: (1) suppressed ECP release from eosinophils activated with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and platelet activating factor (PAF); (2) inhibited the expression of CCR3 and CD49d on PAF-activated eosinophils; and (3) attenuated the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha and gene expression of IL-2 receptor chain alpha (CD25) on house dust mite (Der p 1) activated PBMC. The above results suggest a possible anti-allergic role of WRF and provide a biochemical basis for further clinical trial on human subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: S K W
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: R Y T
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: C W K
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D039441:Integrin alpha4 / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D054397:Receptors, CCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000378:metabolism; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; C515350:CCR3 protein, human; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D054397:Receptors, CCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D039441:Integrin alpha4; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein