Effects of Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus on Airway Inflammation and ERK/MAPK Signal Pathway in Asthma Model Mice / 中国药房

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Fritillariae cirrhosae bulbus on airway inflammation and ERK/MAPK signal pathway of asthma model mice, and to explore its possible mechanism of the treatment of asthma. METHODS: The asthma model was induced by egg albumin. A total of 40 model mice were randomly divided into model group (0. 5％ carboxymethyl cellulose, intragastric administration), positive control group (0. 5 mg/kg dexamethasone, intraperitoneal injection), Fritillariae cirrhosae bulbus low-dose and high-dose groups (9. 0, 18. 0 mg/kg, intragastric administration), with 10 mice in each group. Other 10 normal mice were included in normal group (0. 5％ carboxymethyl cellulose, intragastric administration). They were given medicine once a day for consecutive 28 d. After medication, the number of total cells and differential cells (neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes and eosinophils) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice were counted. The pathological morphology of bronchial smooth muscle in mice was observed under light microscope, and the inflammatory score was scored; the activities of ERK, phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK), p38 MAPK and phosphorylated p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK) were measured by ELISA. The protein expression of ERK, p-ERK, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK in lung tissue were determined by Western blot assay. mRNA expression of ERK and p38 MAPK were determined by real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Compared with normal group, the number of total cells and differential cells in BALF of mice, inflammation score, the activities of p-ERK and p-p38 MAPK in lung tissues were increased significantly of mice in model group (P<0. 01); the protein expression of p-ERK and p-p38 MAPK, mRNA expression of ERK and p38 MAPK were increased significantly in lung tissue of mice in model group (P<0. 01). Compared with model group, above indexes of treatment groups were all improved significantly (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). CONCLUSIONS: Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus can improve airway inflammation in asthma model mice, the mechanisms of which may be related to inhibiting the activation of ERK/MAPK signal pathway.