title: Effectiveness of Cissampelos sympodialis and its isolated alkaloid warifteine in airway hyperreactivity and lung remodeling in a mouse model of asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cissampelos sympodialis Eichl. (Menispermaceae) is a plant found in Northeastern and Southeast of Brazil and hot water infusion of C. sympodialis root bark is largely used in the indigenous and folk medicine to treat several inflammatory disorders, including asthma. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory allergic disease characterized by airway hyperreactivity (AHR), eosinophil tissue infiltration and lung remodeling. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of C. sympodialis and its isolated alkaloid warifteine on allergen triggered airway hyperreactivity (AHR) and lung remodeling in murine model of asthma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The oral pre-treatment with C. sympodialis or warifteine inhibited allergen-induced AHR to inhaled methacholine and IL-13 levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). In order to investigate the therapeutic potential of C. sympodialis and warifteine, animals were treated 1h after the last ovalbumin (OVA) challenge in sensitized animals. Similarly to the pre-treatment, post-treatment with warifteine was effective to inhibit significantly AHR to inhaled methacholine and to reduce IL-13 levels in the BAL. In addition, oral pre- or post-treatments with C. sympodialis or warifteine reduced OVA-induced eosinophil tissue infiltration, mucus production and subepithelial fibrosis to values similar to nonallergic controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show the anti-allergic and immunoregulatory properties of C. sympodialis, acting mostly through the active compound warifteine, to inhibit the airway hyperreactivity and lung remodeling through a mechanism at least partially dependent of IL-13 and eosinophil inhibition. Therefore placing warifteine as an interesting therapeutic candidate in allergic inflammation and corroborating the folk medicine use of C. sympodialis as anti-allergic plant.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Patologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, 58051-970 Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudio R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bezerra-Santos
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vieira-de-Abreu
authors.forename: Giciane Carvalho
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Jaime R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.forename: José Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Barbosa-Filho
authors.forename: Ana Lucia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Marco Aurelio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Heitor S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Christianne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bandeira-Melo
authors.forename: Patrícia T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Bozza
authors.forename: Marcia R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Piuvezam
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D031606:Cissampelos / Q000737:chemistry*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D018793:Interleukin-13; C003931:warifteine; D010047:Ovalbumin; D003094:Collagen