HX110B Alleviates Excessive Cough and Sputum Overproduction via Downregulation of MUC5AC and MUC5B

Introduction HX110B is an herbal formulation that contains Taraxacum officinale, Dioscorea batatas, and Schizonepeta tenuifolia. Each plant is known to relieve respiratory symptoms. In our previous study, administering HX110B ameliorated acute lung injury (ALI) caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. Herein, we investigated the antitussive and expectorant activities of HX110B in vitro and in vivo.Methods The antitussive effects of HX110B were tested in citric acid-induced guinea pig model. The expectorant activities of HX110B were examined by phenol red secretion assay. Additionally, it was evaluated whether HX110B regulates mucin viscosity and affects the expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B in A549 cells.Results The frequency of cough evoked by exposure to citric acid was effectively suppressed by HX110B. Next, we observed an increase in the phenol red secretion after administering HX110B, indicating that it stimulates mucus expectoration. In addition, the viscosity of mucus was reduced and the expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B was inhibited after treatment with HX110B.Conclusion These data indicate that HX110B could be used in the treatment of excessive and productive cough and sputum, providing new insights for its application.