Epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to particulate matter (PM) is associated with adverse health effects. Inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with elevated pulmonary diseases. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the initiation of lung inflammation following inhalation is unclear. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of two probiotics, Lactobacillus casei HY2782 and Bifidobacterium lactis HY8002, against PM-induced pulmonary inflammation. Model mice were subjected to chronic exposure of PM2.5. The results showed that PM2.5 enhanced oxidative stress and led to Th2 cytokine responses in the mice. PM2.5-exposed mice were orally administered with HY2782 and HY8002 from the day of first exposure to the end point of the study. The results showed that HY2782 ameliorated PM 2.5 exposure-enhanced leukocyte migration and activation of proinflammatory cytokines. HY2782 and HY8002 also prevented exacerbation of eosinophil and neutrophil infiltration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. HY2782 and HY8002 significantly increased scavenging of PM2.5-induced reactive oxygen species and activated superoxide dismutase and catalase activity in the blood. These results indicate that the probiotics HY2782 and HY8002 protect against PM-induced pulmonary inflammation.

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Red ginseng has powerful potential for use as a prebiotic, but its use is limited due to its antibacterial activity. The aim of this study is to present panax ginseng’s endophytic lactic acid bacteria capable to overcome the antibacterial activity of red ginseng and improve their characteristic. Lactobacillus paracasei HY7017 (HY7017) was cultured in a medium supplemented with red ginseng. The probiotic properties and immune-enhancing effects of HY7017 were investigated in vitro and in vivo. HY7017 was proliferated strongly in RGE and had significantly improved properties compared with an L. paracasei type strain ATCC25302. HY7017 cultured in RGE-supplemented medium increased the production of nitric oxide, TNF-α, and IL-6 in macrophages, and increased IL-12 and IFN-γ secretion in splenocytes. Furthermore, HY7017 restored WBC counts, increased the amount of IL-2 and IFN-γ released, and enhanced the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells when orally administered to immunosuppressed mice. Moreover, HY7017 has properties that make it suitable as a probiotic, such as stability in the gastrointestinal tract and adhesion to Caco-2 cells. This study showed that HY7017 cultured with RGE may contribute to the development of probiotics to enhance immunity.

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Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory airway disease (IAD) that is characterized by itching, nasal obstruction, and sneezing. AR is induced by Th-2 inflammatory responses such as those mediated by IgE and IL-4. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of an herbal concoction, which is a combination of Cinnamomum cassia and Artemisa annua extracts (CIAR) against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic rhinitis in a Balb/C mouse model. The effect of CIAR on the Th-2 mediated inflammatory response in the AR mouse model was studied by analyzing blood or nasal fluid samples. Experimental results revealed that OVA inhalation increased IgE, IL-4, IL-33, and TSLP levels, leading to Th2-type cytokine response. CIAR was found to significantly reduce the Th-2 response and levels of cytokines, including IL-4, IL-33, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). CIAR also down-regulated eosinophil (EOS) and basophil (BASO) levels in the blood. Histological analyses demonstrated decreased OVA-induced thickness of the respiratory epithelium in the CIAR-treated group. Collectively, our results suggest that the herbal concoction CIAR can effectively ameliorate the development of allergic rhinitis through the inhibition of Th-2 mediated responses.