RESUMO
Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on cough variant asthma (CVA) mice based on molecular docking technique; To explore the possibility of its treatment for cough variant asthma.Methods:The software of Autodock Vina was used for molecular docking. The mice were divided into control group, model group, prednisone acetate group, glycyrrhetinic acid high-, medium-, and low-dosage groups according to the random number table method, with 8 mice in each group. Except for the blank control group, all other groups were induced by egg protein to establish cough variant asthma models. Glycyrrhetinic acid high-, medium-, and low-dosage groups were orally administered glycyrrhetinic acid suspension at 20, 10, and 5 mg/kg, while the prednisone acetate group was orally administered prednisone acetate at 5 mg/kg. The blank control group and model group were orally administered equal volumes of physiological saline, once per day for 14 consecutive days. The animal asthma behavior was observed after drug administration. The secretion of bronchial mucus in lung tissue were observed by AB-PAS staining and the index of spleen were recorded. The protein expressions of Gata3, IL-4 and IL-13 in the spleen tissue were determined by Western blot.Results:Molecular docking results showed that glycyrrhetinic acid had good binding ability to Th2-related factors Gata3, IL-4 and IL-13. Results of animal experiment showed that compared with the model group, the mucus secretion decreased in glycyrrhetinic acid groups, the index of the spleen of mice obviously decreased, protein expression levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in the spleen tissue of mice in glycyrrhetinic acid high-, medium-, and low-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.05), and Gata3 in glycyrrhetinic acid medium- and low-dosage groups decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Glycyrrhetinic acid can correct the shift of Th2 in the immune system of cough variant asthma mice and has a certain therapeutic effect.