title: Ocimum gratissimum Linn. and rosmarinic acid, attenuate eosinophilic airway inflammation in an experimental model of respiratory allergy to Blomia tropicalis.
abstract: Allergic asthma has emerged as an important public health problem of urban populations in developed countries. Very often herbal medicine is used to treat this widespread disease, due to the lack of efficacy and the important side effects related to the classical drugs in use. Along this line, Ocimum gratissimum (Og) is a plant widely used in Brazilian folk medicine to treat inflammatory disorders, such as asthma. In the present study we evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of Og and rosmarinic acid (RA, a polyphenolic compound) in a murine model of respiratory allergy induced by the Blomia tropicalis (Bt) mite. The respiratory allergy was induced in A/J mice by administration of Bt extract and the treatment was done using 25, 50 or 100mg/kg of an Og methanolic extract or using 2, 20 or 200mg/kg of RA. We then evaluated the changes induced by these drugs on immunological parameters related to the allergic process, which are up-regulated in this allergic model. The treatment of animals with 100mg/Kg Og and 200mg/Kg RA led to a significant reduction in the numbers of leukocytes/eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL); eosinophil peroxidase activity in BAL; presence of mucus in respiratory tract, histopathological changes in the lung, and IL-4 in BAL. These results suggest that the methanolic extract of Og and the polyphenol RA have therapeutic potential in this murine model of respiratory allergy to a clinically relevant human sensitizer allergen.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ryan Santos
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Tamires Cana Brasil
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Ana Tereza
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Cerqueira-Lima
authors.forename: Norma Vilany
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.forename: Neuza Maria
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Alcântara-Neves
authors.forename: Lain Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pontes-de-Carvalho
authors.forename: Eudes da Silva
authors.initials: Eda S
authors.lastname: Velozo
authors.forename: Eduardo Jesus
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Camila Alexandrina
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053630:Depsides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D047209:Eosinophil Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D031339:Ocimum / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D040021:Sarcoptidae / Q000276:immunology*; D000097123:Rosmarinic Acid
chemical_list: D002934:Cinnamates; D053630:Depsides; D047209:Eosinophil Peroxidase; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D015847:Interleukin-4; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000097123:Rosmarinic Acid