Kochia scoparia fruit attenuates allergic airway inflammation in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine asthma model

Abstract

Kochia scoparia fruit has been used in Asia for a long time. It possesses anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, and antipruritic actions. We investigated the role of a K. scoparia fruit ethanolic extract (KSEE) in allergic airway inflammation in a mouse asthma model. BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and, upon OVA aerosol challenge, developed airway eosinophilia, mucus hypersecretion, elevations in cytokine, chemokine, and immunoglobulin levels, and upregulation of MMP-9, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression. Intragastric administration of KSEE significantly attenuated OVA-induced influx of total leukocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes into lungs, as well as attenuating levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 in a dose-dependent manner. KSEE also significantly reduced the serum levels of total and OVA-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E and OVA-specific IgG1 release into the airspace. Histological studies showed that KSEE inhibited OVA-induced lung tissue eosinophilia and airway mucus production. Moreover, in whole lung tissue lysates, immunoreactivity showed that KSEE markedly attenuated the OVA-induced increase in expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MMP-9. These results show that KSEE possesses protective effects against allergic airway inflammation, acts as an MMP-9 inhibitor, and induces a reduction in ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression.

Keywords::

• Kochia scoparia (L) schrad
• asthma
• cytokine
• adhesion molecules
• matrix metalloproteinase-9

Acknowledgments

This research was part of a project (The Evidence Based Medicine for Herbal Formula) funded by the Herbal Medicine EBM Research Center of Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine.

Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.