Ameliorative effects of Artemisia pallens in a murine model of ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma via modulation of biochemical perturbations

Introduction: Asthma is a chronic, heterogeneous airway disorder characterized by airway inflammatory and remodeling. Artemisia pallens has been reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and Antiallergic potential. Objective: To evaluate the anti-asthmatic effects of methanolic extract of Artemisia pallens (APME) against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in rats. Materials and method: AHR was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats (180-200 g) by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of OVA and boosted with an identical OVA solution (s.c.) on day 7. Rats were either treated orally with vehicle (10 mg/kg), montelukast (10 mg/kg) or APME (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) for next 28 days. At the end treatments, various biochemical, molecular (RT-PCR and ELISA analysis) and histological parameters were evaluated. Results: APME (200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) OVA-induced alteration in lung functions measured by Whole-body plethysmography. Increased Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) fluid differential cell count, as well as total protein and albumin in BAL fluid and lungs, was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) by APME. It also significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) elevated lung oxido-nitrosative stress, myeloperoxidase, and serum IgE levels. OVA-induced down-regulation in lung Nrf2 and upregulation in TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-4, IL-6, TGF-beta mRNA expression was significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) by APME (200 and 400 mg/kg) treatment. Histopathological analysis of lung tissue showed that APME treatment reduced OVA-induced inflammatory influx and fibrosis. Conclusion: Artemisia pallens simultaneously orchestrate plethora of mechanisms viz. modulations of IgE, TGF-beta, TNF-alpha, IL's and Nrf-2 levels to exhibit its anti-asthmatic potential in OVA-induced AHR in rats. (C) 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.