title: Goishi tea consumption inhibits airway hyperresponsiveness in BALB/c mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is one of the important traits that characterize bronchial asthma. Goishi tea is a post-heating fermented tea that has been reported to have higher free radical scavenging activity. In this study, we evaluated the prophylactic effects of Goishi tea on AHR in BALB/c mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of inflammatory cells in BAL fluid was considerably reduced in Goishi tea/Der f and Gallic acid/Der f groups as compared with Tap water/Der f group. Regarding inflammatory cells in BAL, a significant reduction of eosinophils and neutrophils was observed in Goishi tea-treated mice (p < 0.01), as well as in the Gallic acid/Der f group (p < 0.05), as compared with Tap water/Der f group. In asthmatic mice (Tap water/Der f group), the intensity of airway resistance increased simultaneously with the increase in acetylcholine concentration in a dose-dependant way. AHR was significantly inhibited in Goishi tea/Der f and Gallic acid/Der f (p < 0.01) groups as compared with the Tap water/Der f group. Regarding serum specific-IgG1, significantly lower levels of this antibody were observed in Goishi tea/Der f and Gallic acid/Der f groups as compared with the Tap water/Der f group (p < 0.05). In addition, adiponectin level was significantly higher in the Goishi tea group as compared with the Tap water treated mice (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that Goishi tea consumption exerted an inhibitory effect on eosinophilic and neutrophilic infiltration in the lung, attenuated the increase in airway resistance and increased the production of adiponectin; thus reducing Der f induced allergic inflammatory process in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan. hirotar@kochi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Nlandu R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Ngatu
authors.forename: Mitsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyamura
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Narufumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suganuma
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013662:Tea
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D000941:Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013662:Tea; D007073:Immunoglobulin E