Anti-allergic effects of Asarum heterotropoides on an ovalbumin-induced allergic rhinitis murine model

• Published in: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy 2021-09, Vol.141, p.111944-111944, Article 111944
• Main Authors: Choi, Susanna, Jung, Myung-A, Hwang, Youn-Hwan, Pyun, Bo-Jeong, Lee, Joo Young, Jung, Dong Ho, Ji, Kon-Young, Kim, Taesoo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergic rhinitis; Animals; Anti-Allergic Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Allergic Agents - therapeutic use; Asarum; Asarum heterotropoides; Disease Models, Animal; Eosinophils; Female; Goblet cells; Histamine; Humans; Mast cells; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Ovalbumin - toxicity; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Rhinitis, Allergic - chemically induced; Rhinitis, Allergic - drug therapy; Rhinitis, Allergic - immunology
• ISSN: 0753-3322; 1950-6007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111944

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common chronic respiratory disease. Asarum heterotropoides (AH) is predicted to be a treatment for allergic diseases, but its therapeutic effect is unclear. We aimed to determine the anti-allergic effects of AH in mice with ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR. OVA-induced AR mouse model was constructed, and AH was orally administered for a week; next, nasal clinical symptoms were evaluated. The levels of serum histamine, OVA-specific IgE, and IL-13 were measured by ELISA. Inflammatory cells, including leukocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and macrophages were counted in the nasal lavage fluid (NALF). Histopathological examinations of the nasal tissues were performed using H&E, Giemsa, and PAS staining. The production of periostin and eotaxin-3 from AH-treated human nasal epithelial cells (HNEpCs) in vitro, was measured using ELISA. Oral administration of AH alleviated allergic symptoms in mice with AR; significantly decreased levels of allergic mediators, such as serum histamine and OVA-specific IgE. The decrease in allergic symptoms positively correlated with the decrease in serum allergic mediators. The NALF of AH-treated AR mice demonstrated lower number of eosinophils. AH demonstrated a capacity to reduce the infiltration of mast cells, eosinophils, and goblet cells, thereby resulting in thinner nasal tissues. Moreover, treatment of HNEpCs with AH demonstrated suppressed production of periostin and eotaxin-3. AH exerts a therapeutic effect in modulating AR through multi-target and multi-function influence on regulating B cells, mast cells, eosinophils, goblet cells, and epithelial cells. [Display omitted] •Administration of Asarum heterotropoides (AH) cured allergic symptoms in AR mice.•AH-treated AR mice revealed decreased serum histamine and OVA-specific IgE.•AH treatment reduced nasal thickness in AR mice.•AH treatment reduced the number of eosinophils, mast cells and goblet cells in the nasal tissue.•AH inhibited periostin and eotaxin-3 expression in human nasal epithelial cells.