title: Polyopes affinis alleviates airway inflammation in a murine model of allergic asthma.
abstract: Marine algae have been utilized in food as well as medicine products for a variety of purposes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an ethanol extract of Polyopes affinis (P.affinis) can inhibit the pathogenesis of T helper 2 (Th2)-mediated allergen-induced airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma. Mice that were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) evidenced typical asthmatic reactions such as the following: an increase in the number of eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid; a marked influx of inflammatory cells into the lung around blood vessels and airways as well as the narrowing of the airway luminal; the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR); the presence of pulmonary Th2 cytokines; and the presence of allergenspecific immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the serum. The successive intraperitoneal administration of P. affinis ethanolic extracts before the last airway OVA-challenge resulted in a significant inhibition of all asthmatic reactions. These data suggest that P. affinis ethanolic extracts possess therapeutic potential for the treatment of pulmonary allergic disorders such as allergic asthma.
authors: POSTECH Ocean Science and Technology Institute, Pohang University of Science and  Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790-784, Republic of Korea.
authors: Dae-Sung
authors: DS
authors: Lee
authors: Won Sun
authors: WS
authors: Park
authors: Soo-Jin
authors: SJ
authors: Heo
authors: Seon-Heui
authors: SH
authors: Cha
authors: Daekyung
authors: D
authors: Kim
authors: You-Jin
authors: YJ
authors: Jeon
authors: Sae-Gwang
authors: SG
authors: Park
authors: Su-Kil
authors: SK
authors: Seo
authors: Jung Sik
authors: JS
authors: Choi
authors: Sung-Jae
authors: SJ
authors: Park
authors: Eun Bo
authors: EB
authors: Shim
authors: Il-Whan
authors: IW
authors: Choi
authors: Won-Kyo
authors: WK
authors: Jung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000201:enzymology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D000431:Ethanol; D010047:Ovalbumin; D009195:Peroxidase