Traditional Medicinal Plants Conferring Protection Against Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma in Experimental Animals: A Review

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract in which the numerous immune cells, including eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, T-lymphocytes, mast cells and epithelial lining play key roles. The numerous anti-asthmatic drugs are available in modern medicine to treat asthma, but they have several disadvantages, including side effects and the cost variations, which compromise treatment compliance. The literature review reveals that traditional herbal medicines have good potential as alternative treatment and management for asthma. However, communities hesitated to use the traditional herbal medicines due to lack of established mechanism of action about their anti-asthmatic potential. The present review aimed to summarise the information stated in the literature about the potential effect of traditional medicinal plants (TMPs) conferring protection against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model. The literature search was conducted in database like PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect. After screening through the literature from 2011 to date, a total of 27 medicinal plants and two polyherbal extracts have been reported to be used as traditional herbal medicines and also utilised to be tested against OVAinduced asthma, were included. We found them to be an important alternative source of treatment for asthma, since some have comparable efficacies with drugs commonly used in the modern system against asthma. All the reported medicinal plants confirmed their traditional use against asthma or its related inflammation. The present review provides faith in traditional information and also offers new insight into the potential of natural products against asthma.

Evaluation of Antiasthamic Activity of Electrohomeopathy Formulation Pettorale on Experimental Animals

“…Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract in which the numerous immune cells, including eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, T-lymphocytes, mast cells and epithelial lining play key roles. 14 Investigations of herbal-based interventions have shown that "herbs contain a large number of naturally occurring chemicals that have biological activity". Herbalists claim that the action of herbs is described according to the way it might affect human physiology.…”

Curcumol inhibits PDGF-BB-induced proliferation and migration of airway smooth muscle cells by suppressing ERK/CREB pathway

“…15 However, these drugs produce various side effects such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular effects, headaches, and vomiting. 16 Traditional herbal medicines have been widely applied for the treatment, cure, and prevention of many diseases. 17 Accumulating literature suggests that traditional herbal medicines may be recognized as a potential alternative for treating asthma, because the extracts of some medical plants (e.g., Herissantia tiubae, Aster yomena) can effectively attenuate asthma symptoms and have comparable efficacies with the commonly used asthma drugs in the modern system of medicine.…”

“…18,19 Nevertheless, there is still a lack of information on the study of the toxicological profiles and clinical tests of plant extracts. 16 Curcumol, as a bioactive sesquiterpenoid, is extracted from Rhizoma Curcumae. ( 6) 20 It has various pharmacological properties (e.g., antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory) with low cytotoxicity.…”

Bruceine D ameliorates the balance of Th1/Th2 in a mouse model of ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma via inhibiting the NOTCH pathway

“…T helper cells play crucial roles in the pathophysiological process of allergic asthma. 5,6 T helper 2 cell (Th2)-mediated immune response and airway inflammation are the key characteristics of this chronic disorder. 7 Upregulation of Th2-associated cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13, in asthmatic patients induces the infiltration and activation of eosinophils in the lung.…”