Anti-inflammatory and anti-asthmatic effects of resveratrol, a polyphenolic stilbene, in a mouse model of allergic asthma

• Published in: International immunopharmacology 2009-04, Vol.9 (4), p.418-424
• Main Authors: Lee, Meeyoung, Kim, Soyoung, Kwon, Ok-Kyoung, Oh, Sei-Ryang, Lee, Hyeong-Kyu, Ahn, Kyungseop
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Airway hyperresponsiveness; Animals; Anti-Asthmatic Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Asthmatic Agents - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Asthma; Asthma - drug therapy; Asthma - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - chemistry; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - immunology; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Cytokine; Dexamethasone - administration & dosage; Dexamethasone - therapeutic use; Disease Models, Animal; Eosinophilia; Eosinophilia - drug therapy; Eosinophilia - immunology; Female; Goblet Cells - drug effects; Goblet Cells - immunology; Goblet Cells - metabolism; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Immunoglobulin E - drug effects; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - drug effects; Interleukin-4 - analysis; Interleukin-4 - immunology; Interleukin-5 - analysis; Interleukin-5 - immunology; Lung - drug effects; Lung - immunology; Lung - pathology; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mucus - drug effects; Mucus - immunology; Mucus - metabolism; Ovalbumin - immunology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pneumology; Resveratrol; Stilbenes - administration & dosage; Stilbenes - therapeutic use; Vitaceae
• ISSN: 1567-5769; 1878-1705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2009.01.005

Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways, and the current focus in managing asthma is the control of inflammation. Resveratrol (3,4,5-trihydroxystilbene) is a polyphenolic stilbene found in the skins of red fruits, including grapes, that may be responsible for some of the health benefits ascribed to consumption of red wine. We investigated the suppressive effects of resveratrol on asthmatic parameters such as cytokine release, eosinophilia, airway hyperresponsiveness, and mucus hypersecretion, in an OVA-induced allergic mouse model of asthma. Resveratrol significantly inhibited increases in T-helper-2-type cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-5 in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and also effectively suppressed airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilia, and mucus hypersecretion, in the asthmatic mouse model. The efficacy of resveratrol was similar to that of dexamethasone, a glucocorticoid used as a positive control. These results suggest that resveratrol may have applications in the treatment of bronchial asthma.