Korean Red Ginseng affects ovalbumin-induced asthma by modulating IL-12, IL-4, and IL-6 levels and the NF-κB/COX-2 and PGE2 pathways

Abstract

Background Asthma is an incurable hyper-responsive disease of the pulmonary system that is caused by various allergens, including indoor and outdoor stimulators. According to the Global Asthma Network, 339 million people suffered from asthma in 2018, with particularly severe forms in children. Numerous treatments for asthma are available; however, they are frequently associated with adverse effects such as growth retardation, neurological disorders (e.g., catatonia, poor concentration, and insomnia), and physiological disorders (e.g., immunosuppression, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and osteoporosis). Methods Korean Red Ginseng has long been used to treat numerous diseases in many countries, and we investigated the anti-asthmatic effects and mechanisms of action of Korean Red Ginseng. Eighty-four BALB/c mice were assigned to 6 treatment groups: control, ovalbumin-induced asthma group, dexamethasone treatment group, and 3 groups treated with Korean Red Ginseng water extract (KRGWE) at 5, 25, or 50 mg/kg/day for 5 days. Anti-asthmatic effects of KRGWE were assessed based on biological changes, such as white blood cell counts and differential counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, serum IgE levels, and histopathological changes in the lungs, and by examining anti-asthmatic mechanisms, such as the cytokines associated with Th1, Th2, and Treg cells and inflammation pathways. Results KRGWE affected ovalbumin-induced changes, such as increased white blood cell counts, increased IgE levels, and morphological changes (mucous hypersecretion, epithelial cell hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration) by downregulating cytokines such as IL-12, IL-4, and IL-6 via GATA-3 inactivation and suppression of inflammation via NF-κB/COX-2 and PGE 2 pathways. Conclusion KRGWE is a promising drug for asthma treatment.

Duchesnea indica Extract Ameliorates LPS-Induced Septic Shock in Mice

“…Our study shows that DIE is a potent anti-inflammatory agent that targets ROS to inhibit the NF κ B activation. This potential was also reported in Panax ginseng, which potently targets oxidative stress and the NF κ B [ 32 , 33 ].…”

Codonopsis laceolata Water Extract Ameliorates Asthma Severity by Inducing Th2 Cells’ and Pulmonary Epithelial Cells’ Apoptosis via NF-κB/COX-2 Pathway

“…The animal schedule was the same in our previous study, excluding the C. laceolata dosing groups [3]. In order to confirm the study results, 2 studies were conducted, and 96 laboratory animals (BALB/c mice) were purchased for 2 studies from Samtako Korea (Osan, Korea).…”

“…The BALF and serum analytic methods were the same as in our previously published study [3]. On day 26, all mice were anesthetized with 50 mg/kg Zoletin (Virbac, Fort Worth, TX, USA), then half of the mice in each group were cannulated with a flexible feeding needle through the trachea for collecting BALF, and the BALF was collected three times using 0.4 mL of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) each time.…”

“…Asthma is an incurable chronic inflammatory disease of the pulmonary system, which is caused by a wide range of allergens [1]. It has several symptoms, such as wheezing, fast and difficult breathing, coughing, and sleep apnea, which can lead to death [2], and representative morphological changes, such as airway remodeling, inflammatory cell infiltration, mucous hypersecretion, and epithelial cell dysfunction/hyperplasia [3,4]. In 2019, it was estimated that there were 262 million asthma patients, and 461 thousand deaths were caused by asthma [5].…”

Inner Shell of the Chestnut (Castanea crenatta) Suppresses Inflammatory Responses in Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Asthma Mouse Model

“…Furthermore, signaling molecules related to elevated type 2 cytokines, causing the progression of asthma, are well established from many previous studies. They include inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) [ 7 , 8 ]. Another important mediator involved in asthma is the family of extracellular proteases represented by matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), causing tissue remodeling through destruction of extracellular structures [ 9 ].…”