Antiasthmatic effects of schizandrae fructus extract in mice with asthma

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Pharmacognosy Magazine,2014,10,37s,s80-s85.
Published:February 2014
Type:Original Article
Authors:
Author(s) affiliations:

Hyungwoo Kim1, Yong-Tae Ahn2, Youn Sook Kim3, Su In Cho4, Won Gun An4
1 Associate Professor, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Pusan, South Korea
2 Department of Biomedical Science, Kyungdong University, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do, South Korea
3 Master of Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Pusan, South Korea
4 Professor, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Pusan, South Korea

Abstract:

Background: Schizandrae fructus (SF), the fruit of Schisandra chinensis, has been used for the treatment of cough, wheezing, dry mouth, hepatitis, cardiovascular disease, and as a tonic and astringent in China, Japan, and Korea. Objective: Investigation of the antiasthmatic effects of SF. Materials and Methods: We investigated the effects of SF on airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to methacholine, production levels of antigen-specific antibodies, and histopathological changes in the lung tissue in a mouse model (Balb/c) of asthma induced by repeated intranasal instillation of an antigen. Results: SF lowered AHR to methacholine (P < 0.05), antigen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) level (P < 0.01), and immune cell infiltration in mice with asthma. Prednisolone (PD) effectively decreased AHR (P < 0.01), total antibody (P < 0.01) and IgE (P < 0.01) levels, and immune cell infiltration. SF and PD did not affect the levels of antigen-specific IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies. Conclusion: Our data suggest that SF has possible application as an antiasthmatic drug. We also suggest that SF could be used as a complementary or alternative medicine to glucocorticoids.

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