title: Potential therapeutic effect of Allium cepa L. and quercetin in a murine model of Blomia tropicalis induced asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma is an inflammatory condition characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness and chronic inflammation. The resolution of inflammation is an essential process to treat this condition. In this study we investigated the effect of Allium cepa L. extract (AcE) and quercetin (Qt) on cytokine and on smooth muscle contraction in vitro and its therapeutic potential in a murine model of asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  AcE was obtained by maceration of Allium cepa L. and it was standardized in terms of quercetin concentration using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In vitro, using AcE 10, 100 or 1000 μg/ml or Qt 3.5, 7.5, 15 μg/ml, we measured the concentration of cytokines in spleen cell culture supernatants, and the ability to relax tracheal smooth muscle from A/J mice. In vivo, Blomia tropicalis (BT)-sensitized A/J mice were treated with AcE 100, 1000 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg Qt. We measured cell influx in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) in lungs, serum levels of Bt-specific IgE, cytokines levels in BAL, and lung histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed a reduction in the production of inflammatory cytokines, a relaxation of tracheal rings, and a reduction in total number of cells in BAL and EPO in lungs by treatment with AcE or Qt.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AcE and Qt have potential as antiasthmatic drugs, as they possess both immunomodulatory and bronchodilatory properties.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. tati-oliveira@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tatiane Teixeira
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. kenia_maciely@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Keina Maciele
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. anaterezacl@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana Tereza
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Cerqueira-Lima
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. tam_brasil@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tamires
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cana Brasil Carneiro
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. euvelozo@ufba.br.
authors.forename: Eudes
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: da Silva Velozo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. ingridcarm@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ingrid Christie Alexandrino
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro Melo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. geninhaaf@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eugênia Abrantes
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. eduardo@ltf.ufpb.br.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Jesus Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. darizy@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Darizy Flávia Silva Amorim
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: de Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. carvalho@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lain Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pontes-de-Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. neuzalcantara@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Neuza Maria
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Alcântara-Neves
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. cavfigueiredo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Camila Alexandrina
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D019697:Onions / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011794:Quercetin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011794:Quercetin