BackgroundLoki zupa (Luooukezupa) decoction, consisting of the roots of Hyssopuscuspidatus Boriss (Shenxiangcao) and Irishalophila Pall root (Yuanweigen), is commonly used in Uygur medicine to treat asthma. However, the mode of action of this material has yet to be elucidated. This study aims to investigate the effects of Loki zupa decoction on the airway inflammation of an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mouse model.MethodsMice were divided into normal control (NC), asthma (A), high, medium and low doses of Loki zupa decoction (L 14.0, L 7.0, L 3.5), water extract (LW), n-butanol extract (LN), ethyl acetate extract (LE) and dexamethasone (DEX) groups. Antiasthmatic model was induced by OVA sensitization and challenged using BALB/c mice. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) toward methacholine (Mch) was assessed using Buxco equipment. Lung inflammation was measured by hematoxylin and eosin staining and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cell count and classification. Inflammatory cytokines in BALF and serum were analyzed by Bio-Plex assay, and mRNA levels were investigated by qPCR analysis. The roots of H. Boriss (250 g) and I. Pall (250 g) were decocted, concentrated and diluted to 14.0, 7.0 and 3.5 g crude herb/kg body weight. The LW, LN and LE of the Loki zupa decoction were prepared and diluted to a dose equivalent to 7 g of crude herb/kg body weight.ResultsLoki zupa decoction and its extracts significantly attenuated the AHR towards Mch (all P < 0.05). Treatment with Loki zupa decoction and its extracts relieved the infiltration of inflammatory cells in and around the airways, and reduced the total white blood cell (all P < 0.05), neutrophil (all P < 0.05), monocyte (all P < 0.05) and eosinophil (all P < 0.05) counts in the BALF. The BALF samples collected from the mice treated with the Loki zupa decoction and its extracts had lower levels of IL-1β (all P < 0.05), TNF-α (all P < 0.05), IL-2 (all P < 0.05), IL-4 (P = 0.047) and IL-5 (all P < 0.05). The serum samples of these mice also had lower IL-1β (all P < 0.05), TNF-α (all P < 0.05), IL-4 (all P < 0.05) and IL-5 (all P < 0.05) levels and higher levels of IFN-γ (P < 0.001) compared with the OVA-induced asthma mouse model. qPCR analysis revealed that Loki zupa decoction and its extracts inhibited mRNA expression of IL-4 (all P < 0.05), IL-5 (all P < 0.05) and IL-13 (all P < 0.05) and promoted mRNA expression of IFN-γ (all P < 0.05) in asthmatic mice.ConclusionLoki zupa decoction reduced AHR, attenuated airway inflammation, promoted Th1 and suppressed Th2 cell functions in an OVA-induced asthma mouse model.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13020-016-0094-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

No abstract

The study was the first time to establish and compare two rat models of two common syndromes: Kidney Yang Deficiency syndrome (KYDS) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and abnormal savda syndrome (ASS) in traditional Uighur medicine (TUM). Then, we also established and evaluated rat models of combining disease and syndrome models of asthma with KYDS or ASS. Results showed that usage of the high dose of corticosterone (CORT) injection or external factors could successfully establish the KYDS or ASS rat models, and the two models had similar changes in biological characterization, abnormal behaviors, dysfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-target organ axes (HPTOA), and sympathetic/parasympathetic (S/P) nerve system but varied in different degrees. The rat models of combining disease and syndrome of asthma with KYDS or ASS had either pathological characteristics of asthma such as airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway inflammation, airway remodeling, which were more serious than allergy exposure alone, or the syndrome performance of Kidney Yang Deficiency in TCM and abnormal savda in TUM. These findings provide a biological rationale for further investigation of combining disease and syndrome model of asthma as an effective animal model for exploring asthma based on the theory of traditional medicine.