Antiallergic asthma properties of brazilin through inhibition of TH2 responses in T cells and in a murine model of asthma

J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Sep 19;60(37):9405-14. doi: 10.1021/jf2038778. Epub 2012 Sep 6.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine whether brazilin exhibits anti-inflammatory effects that inhibit T helper cell type II (T(H)2) responses and whether it suppresses allergic inflammation reactions in a murine model of asthma. We found that brazilin inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and cAMP in EL-4 T cells in a dose-dependent manner. Following the intratracheal instillation of brazilin in ovalbumin (OVA)-immunized mice, we found that brazilin-treated mice exhibited decreases in the release of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, eotaxin-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF); inhibited T(H)2 functioning via a decrease in IL-4 production; and exhibited attenuation of OVA-induced lung eosinophilia, airway hyperresponsiveness, and airway remodeling. These results suggest that brazilin exhibits anti-T(H)2 effects both in vitro and in vivo and may possess therapeutic potential for allergic diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Asthmatic Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Asthmatic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Asthma / drug therapy*
  • Asthma / immunology*
  • Benzopyrans / pharmacology
  • Benzopyrans / therapeutic use*
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / immunology
  • Chemokine CCL11 / analysis
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Interleukin-13 / analysis
  • Interleukin-4 / analysis
  • Interleukin-4 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Interleukin-4 / genetics
  • Interleukin-5 / analysis
  • Interleukin-5 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Interleukin-5 / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / drug effects
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / analysis

Substances

  • Anti-Asthmatic Agents
  • Benzopyrans
  • Chemokine CCL11
  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-5
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interleukin-4
  • Ovalbumin
  • brazilin