title: Anti-asthmatic effects of oxymatrine in a mouse model of allergic asthma through regulating CD40 signaling.
abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the anti-asthmatic effects of oxymatrine (OXY) and the possible underlying mechanisms. The mouse asthma model was established by ovalbumin (OVA) intraperitoneal injection. A total of fifty mice were randomly assigned to five groups: control, OVA, OVA + dexamethasone (Dex, 2 mg · kg(-1)), and OVA + OXY (40 mg · kg(-1)), and OVA + OXY (80 mg · kg(-1)), respectively. Histological studies were conducted by the hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-5 (IL-5), interleukin-13, and IgE were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the protein level of CD40 was analyzed by Western blotting. OXY inhibited OVA-induced increases in eosinophil count; the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IgE, and IL-13 were recovered. It also substantially inhibited OVA-induced eosinophilia in lung tissues and the expression of CD40 protein. These findings suggest that OXY may effectively ameliorate the progression of asthma and could be explored as a possible therapy for patients with allergic asthma.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130117, China.
authors.forename: Tian-Zhu
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China. Electronic address: mashipingbest@126.com.
authors.forename: Shi-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D007509:Irritants / Q000633:toxicity; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000633:toxicity; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D011807:Quinolizines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D000093842:Matrines
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D003907:Dexamethasone; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007378:Interleukins; D007509:Irritants; D010047:Ovalbumin; D011807:Quinolizines; C037573:oxymatrine; D000093842:Matrines
keywords: Asthma; CD40; Oxymatrine