ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of nebulized total ginkgo flavone glycosides (TFG) on Th1/Th2 imbalance in mice with athma.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Forty-eight BALB/C mice were randomly divided into four groups: group A (control group, n=12); group B (asthmatic model group, n=12); group C (TFG nebulized treated group, n=12); group D (dexamethasone intraperitoneal treated group, n=12). The asthmatic model was established by sensitivity and local activation with Ovalbumin(OVA) and aluminum hydroxide Al(OH)3. TFG (50 g x L(-1), per aerosol per six mice, 30 minutes) was nebulized 20 days after modeling, while dexamethasone (1 g x L(-1)) was intraperitoneal once daily for 10 days. Perfusate of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) was collected on day 32. The level of IL-4, IFN-gamma in BALF, and the level of total IgE in serum was determined. The airway inflammation pathology change and the expression of GATA-3 protein in lungs was detected by immunohistochemical staining.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Compared with model group, the decreased content of IL-4(49.30 +/- 7.95) ng x L(-1) and increased level of IFN-gamma (49.08 x 5.46) ng x L(-1). were found in BALF, and the level of total IgE (9.47 +/- 1.52) microg x L(-1) in serum also decreased in TFG treated group. In model group, smooth muscle hypertrophing, mucous hyperemia, mucous layer thickening, and inflammatory cell in filtration were observed. Phlegmasia was appeared in the bronchi, which was filled with lots of mucus. In contrast, the inflammatory reaction in TFG and Dexamethasone treated group was less obvious. Expression of GATA-3 was markly increased in model group with decreased expression in TFG treated group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Nebulized TFG showed a therapeutic effect for asthmatic mice, the mechanism may be explained by blockingnnnn GATA-3 expression and regulating the disorder Th1/Th2 imbalance.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Male , Mice , Aluminum Hydroxide , Pharmacology , Asthma , Drug Therapy , Metabolism , Pathology , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid , Chemistry , Dexamethasone , Therapeutic Uses , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Chemistry , Therapeutic Uses , Flavones , Flavonoids , Chemistry , GATA3 Transcription Factor , Metabolism , Ginkgo biloba , Chemistry , Glycosides , Chemistry , Therapeutic Uses , Immunoglobulin E , Blood , Interferon-gamma , Metabolism , Interleukin-4 , Metabolism , Lung , Metabolism , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Ovalbumin , Pharmacology , Random Allocation , Th1 Cells , Metabolism , Th2 Cells , MetabolismABSTRACT
This study was to investigate the effect of total flavonoid in leaves of Ginkgo biloba (total flavonoid in leaves of Ginkgo biloba, FG) on the apoptosis of eosinophils (EOS) in broncho alveloar lavage fluid (BALF) of asthma mice. Mouse asthma model was established by ovalbumin (OVA) challenge methods. After atomizing therapy for two weeks, differential count in BALF, morphological change and proportion of apoptosis were detected by AO/EB stain and Annexin V-FITC/PI. The number of total leucocytes and eosinophils in BALF decreased obviously after FG treatment. Compared with model group, the number and proportion of EOS apoptosis increased significantly after FG treatment. The results indicated that one of the anti-inflammation mechanisms of FG might be promoting apoptosis of eosinophils.