Comparison of the efficacy of KOB03, ketotifen, and montelukast in an experimental mouse model of allergic rhinitis

Int Immunopharmacol. 2013 Jun;16(2):254-60. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2013.04.011. Epub 2013 May 1.

Abstract

KOB03 is a polyherbal medicine derived from an oriental prescription traditionally used to treat allergic diseases. In the present study, we compared the efficacy of KOB03 with modern drugs such as ketotifen and montelukast in an experimental mouse model of allergic rhinitis (AR). Ketotifen is a H1 receptor antagonist and montelukast is a leukotriene receptor antagonist. Mice were treated with KOB03, ketotifen or montelukast in an established AR mouse model using ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized/challenged BALB/c mice. The treatment of KOB03 had inhibitory effects on symptom scores, serum levels of OVA-specific IgE, histamine, leukotriene C4, IL-4, TNF-α, and IL-1β in AR mice, and the histolopathological changes of nasal mucosa with mucin release and inflammation. AR mice treated with KOB03 had significantly lower serum levels of OVA-specific IgE, LTC4, IL-4, and IL-1β than mice treated with ketotifen, whereas they only had significantly lower serum levels of OVA-specific IgE and IL-4 than those treated with montelukast. In addition, the histolopathological changes of nasal mucosa with eosinophil infiltration were significantly lower in the KOB03-treated mice than those in the ketotifen and montelukast-treated group. These results suggest that KOB03 has therapeutic potential for treating AR like other modern medicines.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetates / pharmacology
  • Acetates / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Allergic Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Allergic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antigens / immunology
  • Cyclopropanes
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Histamine H1 Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Histamine H1 Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood
  • Ketotifen / pharmacology
  • Ketotifen / therapeutic use*
  • Leukotriene Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Leukotriene Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Leukotriene C4 / blood
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nasal Mucosa / pathology
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Quinolines / pharmacology
  • Quinolines / therapeutic use*
  • Rhinitis, Allergic
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / blood
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / drug therapy*
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / pathology
  • Sulfides

Substances

  • Acetates
  • Anti-Allergic Agents
  • Antigens
  • Cyclopropanes
  • Cytokines
  • Histamine H1 Antagonists
  • KOB03
  • Leukotriene Antagonists
  • Plant Extracts
  • Quinolines
  • Sulfides
  • Leukotriene C4
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Ovalbumin
  • montelukast
  • Ketotifen