title: Polygonum multiflorum Decreases Airway Allergic Symptoms in a Murine Model of Asthma.
abstract: The root of Polygonum multiflorum (also called He-Shou-Wu in Chinese) is a common herb and medicinal food in Asia used for its anti-aging properties. Our study investigated the therapeutic potential of an extract of the root of Polygonum multiflorum (PME) in allergic asthma by using a mouse model. Feeding of 0.5 and 1 mg/mouse PME inhibited ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma symptoms, including airway inflammation, mucus production, and airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR), in a dose-dependent manner. To discern PME's mechanism of action, we examined the profile and cytokine production of inflammatory cells in bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF). We found that eosinophils, the main inflammatory cell infiltrate in the lung of OVA-immunized mice, significantly decreased after PME treatment. Th2 cytokine levels, including interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, eotaxin, and the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-[Formula: see text], decreased in PME-treated mice. Elevated mRNA expression of Th2 transcription factor GATA-3 in the lung tissue was also inhibited after oral feeding of PME in OVA-immunized mice. Thus, we conclude that PME produces anti-asthma activity through the inhibition of Th2 cell activation.
authors.affiliation: * Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, China Medicine University, Taichung, Taiwan.|† Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medicine University, Taichung, Taiwan.|‡ Graduate Institute of Immunology, China Medicine University, Taichung, Taiwan.|∥ Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chen-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: * Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, China Medicine University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yueh-Lun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: † Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medicine University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: § Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Hsing-Chuan
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: § Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Chun-Lung
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: ¶ The Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, Taipei Medical University; College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Leroy F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: ¶ The Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, Taipei Medical University; College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: § Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of California at Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Reen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000068676:Fallopia multiflora / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D010047:Ovalbumin; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494748:Gata3 protein, mouse; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010047:Ovalbumin
keywords: Airway Hyper-Responsiveness; Airway Inflammation; Polygonum multiflorum; Th2