title: Inhibitory effects of a standardized extract of Justicia pectoralis in an experimental rat model of airway hyper-responsiveness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Justicia pectoralis is a plant useful for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Here, we studied the antiasthmatic properties of a standardized extract of J. pectoralis (Jp).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized rats were actively challenged with saline or OVA to study airway hyper-responsiveness after oral treatment with saline or Jp. The ability of Jp to inhibit hyper-reactivity was evaluated in isolated trachea mounted in isolated organ bath chamber.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using KCl or carbachol as contractile agents, tracheal rings of OVA-challenged rats contracted with higher magnitude than trachea of rats challenged with saline. Such hyper-responsive phenotype of OVA-challenged tissues decreased with Jp administration. In Ca+-free medium, Jp or its major constituent coumarin inhibited preferentially the contractions induced by Ca2+addition in tissues of OVA-challenged rats stimulated with KCl or acetylcholine. In tissues depleted of their internal Ca+stores in the presence of thapsigargin, Jp inhibited the contraction induced by capacitative Ca2+entry. By gavage, Jp abolished the increase caused by challenge with OVA on the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the bronchoalveolar fluid and also impaired the changes in gene expression of canonical transient receptor proteins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Jp has antiasthmatic properties in an experimental model that reproduces tracheal hyper-reactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos T M
authors.initials: CTM
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Batista-Lima
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Teresinha S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alfredo A V
authors.initials: AAV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luan C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cássia R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Roque
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karoline S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Aragão
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Havt
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Odontology and Nursing, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Odontology and Nursing, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luzia K A M
authors.initials: LKAM
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro J C
authors.initials: PJC
authors.lastname: Magalhães
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002217:Carbachol; D027902:Justicia / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002217:Carbachol; D010047:Ovalbumin; D002118:Calcium
keywords: biological evaluation of natural products; tissue and cellular pharmacology