title: Protective effect of emodin against airway inflammation in the ovalbumin-induced mouse model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether emodin exerts protective effects on mouse with allergic asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mouse model of allergic airway inflflammation was employed. The C57BL/6 mice sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) were intraperitoneally administered 10 or 20 mg/kg emodin for 3 days during OVA challenge. Animals were sacrificed 48 h after the last challenge. Inflammatory cell count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was measured. The levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13 and eotaxin in BALF and level of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in serum were measured with enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay kits. The mRNA expressions of IL-4, IL-5, heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Emodin induced significant suppression of the number of OVA-induced total inflammatory cells in BALF. Treatment with emodin led to significant decreases in the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and eotaxin in BALF and total IgE level in serum. Histological examination of lung tissue revealed marked attenuation of allergen-induced lung eosinophilic inflammation. Additionally, emodin suppressed IL-4, IL-5 and MMP-9 mRNA expressions and induced HO-1 mRNA expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emodin exhibits anti-inflammatory activity in the airway inflammation mouse model, supporting its therapeutic potential for the treatment of allergic bronchial asthma.
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Tan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiang-Gen
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Yu-Hang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Shu-Jing
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-Shan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ruo-Han
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004642:Emodin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010047:Ovalbumin; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D007378:Interleukins; D020011:Protective Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D004642:Emodin