title: Protective effects of allantoin against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung inflammation in a murine model of asthma.
abstract: Asthma is characterized by difficulty in breathing because of the constriction of the smooth muscles of the bronchi, as a result of inflammation. In the present study, we focus on the protective effects of allantoin against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung inflammation in a murine allergic model, and assess cytokine release, eosinophilia, and mucus hypersecretion. Allantoin treatment led to significant reduction in the levels of Ig(immunoglobulin)E and T-helper-2-type cytokines, such as IL(interleukin)-4 and IL-5, in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Airway inflammatory-cell infiltration was remarkably alleviated in allantoin-treated asthma groups, compared with the control group. Moreover, allantoin-treated asthma groups exhibited a marked decrease in cytokine mRNA expression in lung tissues, compared with the control group. The effectiveness of allantoin was similar to that of montelukast, used as a positive control. These results support the utility of allantoin as a protective agent against asthma.
authors.affiliation: Herbal Medicine EBM Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, P.O. Box 483, Yusung-gu, Daejeon 305-811, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mee-Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nam-Hun
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dayoung
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jin-Ah
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang-Seob
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Hoyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jung-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyeun-Kyoo
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000481:Allantoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000473:pathology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D010047:Ovalbumin; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015847:Interleukin-4; D000481:Allantoin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase