title: Anti-asthma potential of crocin and its effect on MAPK signaling pathway in a murine model of allergic airway disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Crocin, a diterpenoid glucoside, has multitudinous activities such as anti-inflammation, anti-allergy, anti-oxidation and relaxing smooth muscles.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, the potential of crocin as an anti-asthma agent was investigated in a murine model.
  
  
  METHODS
  BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged by ovalbumin (OVA) to induce allergic airway inflammation, with crocin administered one hour before every OVA challenge. Airway hyper-reactivity was evaluated by lung function analysis systems. Leukocyte counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured by a hemocytometer and Diff-Quick-stained smears. Lung tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Congo red and methylene blue for histopathological inspection. Inflammatory mediators in serum, BALF and lung were measured by ELISA or RT-PCR. Effects of crocin on MAPK signaling pathways were investigated by western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Crocin significantly suppressed airway inflammation and hyper-reactivity, reduced levels of BALF interleukin (IL-4), IL-5, IL-13 and tryptase, lung eosinophil peroxidase and serum OVA-specific IgE, and inhibited the expression of lung eotaxin, p-ERK, p-JNK and p-p38 in the OVA-challenged mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrated that the suppression of crocin on airway inflammation and hyper-reactivity in a murine model, thus crocin might have a great potential to be a candidate for the treatment of asthma.
authors.affiliation: College of Food and Drug, Anhui Science and Technology University , Fengyang, Anhui , China and.
authors.forename: Youyi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Junsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chenggui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D002338:Carotenoids; C029036:crocin
keywords: Airway inflammation; Crocus sativus; airway hyper-reactivity; asthma; crocin