Efficacy of a traditional Korean medicine, Chung-Sang-Bo-Ha-Tang, in a murine model of chronic asthma

Int Immunopharmacol. 2005 Feb;5(2):427-36. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2004.09.036.

Abstract

Traditional herbal medicines may be viable alternatives to corticosteroid therapy for treatment of asthma. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of herbal compounds remain a matter of considerable debate. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of Chung-Sang-Bo-Ha-Tang (CSBHT), a herbal compound administrated therapeutically to asthma patients for centuries, on airway inflammation and remodeling in a murine model of chronic asthma. BALB/c mice sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) were chronically challenged with aerosolized OVA for 6 weeks. During the last 2 weeks, some mice were treated daily with CSBHT by intragastric feeding. Dexamethasone (Dex)-treated, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-treated, and naive mice served as controls. The effects of CSBHT on airway inflammation, lung pathology, and cytokine production were evaluated. Mice exposed to recurrent airway challenge with OVA had chronic inflammation and characteristics of airway remodeling, including subepithelial fibrosis, epithelial hypertrophy, and goblet cell hyperplasia. CSBHT was as effective as Dex at moderately reducing these changes compared to the PBS-treated mice. In addition, IL-5 and IFN-gamma levels in supernatants of Concanavalin A (Con A)-activated splenocyte cultures were reduced in mice treated with CSBHT. Treatment with CSBHT during the last 2 weeks of challenge modulated airway inflammation and remodeling in a murine model of chronic asthma. Thus, CSBHT may effectively delay the progression of airway inflammation and remodeling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Asthma / drug therapy*
  • Asthma / immunology
  • Asthma / pathology
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
  • Cell Count
  • Chronic Disease
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood
  • Immunoglobulin E / immunology
  • Korea
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / pathology
  • Medicine, East Asian Traditional*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Plant Preparations / administration & dosage
  • Plant Preparations / therapeutic use*
  • Spleen / cytology
  • Spleen / drug effects
  • Spleen / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Plant Extracts
  • Plant Preparations
  • chung-sang-bo-ha-tang
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Ovalbumin