Soyabean Oil Supplementation Effects on Perivascular Inflammation in Lungs Induced by Bisphenol A: A Histological Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of soyabean oil supplementation on perivascular inflammation in lungs of adult mice induced by Bisphenol A(BPA). STUDY DESIGN: An experimental study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Anatomy, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, in collaboration with the Animal House, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, from June to November 2016. METHODOLOGY: Thirty male and female BALB/c mice were divided into three groups, of 10 animals each. Group Aanimals served as control. Group B animals were given BPAat a dose of 50 mg/Kg body weight/day. Group C animals were given BPAand soyabean oil at doses of 50 mg/Kg body weight/day and 500 mg/day, respectively. All treatments were given once daily for a period of eight weeks. Animals were dissected 24 hours after receiving the last dose. Lung tissue specimen processing and H&E staining was carried out for routine histological study. Perivascular inflammation was morphometrically graded and statistically analysed using Chi-square test with p<0.05. RESULTS: Grade 2 inflammation was recorded in two (20%) animals and grade 3 perivascular inflammation in 80% specimens in Group B; whereas 20% specimens of Group C had grade 2 inflammation and eight (80%) showed grade 1 inflammation. None of the control animals showed any inflammation. All groups were significantly different at p<0.001. CONCLUSION: BPAproduced perivascular inflammation and con-commitant administration of soyabean oil diet protected against it in rodent.

Role of weight management in asthma symptoms and control.

Obesity and asthma have increasingly been linked with an increased risk of developing asthma associated with increasing body mass index. Overweight/obese patients with asthma have more symptoms, poor asthma control, and decreased response to conventional asthma therapies. Weight loss may be associated with improvements in asthma control, response to medications, and overall asthma-related quality of life. This article discusses the effect of weight loss via dietary modifications and surgical interventions on asthma symptoms and control. Weight loss should be encouraged as a means of improving asthma control but there are insufficient data to recommend surgical interventions solely for this purpose.

Nonallergic airway hyperresponsiveness and allergen-specific IgE levels are the main determinants of the early and late asthmatic response to allergen.

BACKGROUND: Conflicting results have been reported in studies of predictive factors for airway responsiveness to allergens during bronchial challenges. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess determinants of airway responsiveness to 3 different allergens during standardized bronchial challenges. METHODS: Data were collected from asthmatic patients who participated in allergen challenge trials between 2000 and 2006 (cat, n = 37; house dust mite [HDM], n = 35; grass pollen, n = 27). PD20 (provocative dose causing a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume in the first second) methacholine, PD20 allergen, allergen skin test endpoint, allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels, and late asthmatic response were analyzed for each allergen group. RESULTS: During the early asthmatic response, a significant relationship was found between PD20 allergen and PD20 methacholine (P < .01 for cat, HDM, and grass pollen), as well as between PD20 allergen and allergen-specific IgE levels (P < .05 for cat and HDM). No relationship was observed between PD20 allergen and allergen skin test endpoint (P > .05). Late asthmatic response was significantly more frequent after HDM challenge than after cat or grass pollen challenges (57.1% vs16.2% and 33.3%, P < .01). Dual responders during HDM challenges had significantly higher allergen-specific IgE levels (P < .05) and higher nonallergic airway responsiveness (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Nonallergic airway hyperresponsiveness and allergen-specific IgE levels were the main determinants of early and late asthmatic responses. HDM challenges were the most interesting model with regard to the occurrence of late asthmatic response. In contrast to previous publications and to the official statement on standardized challenge testing with sensitizing stimuli, skin sensitivity appears to be a poor predictor of the early asthmatic response.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects of kefir in a mouse asthma model.

Kefir is a microbial symbiont mixture that produces jelly-like grains. As a widely used neutraceutical, however, the therapeutic applicability of kefir is not certain. In order to investigate the pharmacological effects of kefir, we used a mouse asthma model, in which airway inflammation and airway remodeling was produced by ovalbumin sensitization and challenge. BALB/c mice sensitized and challenged to ovalbumin, were treated with kefir (50mg/kg administered by intra-gastric mode) 1h before the ovalbumin challenge. Kefir significantly suppressed ovalbumin-induced airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) to inhaled methacholine. Intra-gastric administration of kefir significantly inhibited the increase in the total inflammatory cell count induced by ovalbumin, and the eosinophil count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Type 2 helper T cell (Th2) cytokines, such as interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, and total immunoglobulin E (Ig E) levels, were also reduced to normal levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Histological studies demonstrate that kefir substantially inhibited ovalbumin-induced eosinophilia in lung tissue and mucus hyper-secretion by goblet cells in the airway. Kefir displayed anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects in a mouse asthma model and may possess new therapeutic potential for the treatment of allergic bronchial asthma.

Dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation and airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma.

Asthma prevalence continues to increase despite the progress that has been made in the treatment options for asthma. Alternative treatment therapies that reduce the dose requirements of pharmacological interventions would be beneficial, and could potentially reduce the public health burden of this disease. There is accumulating evidence that dietary modification has potential to influence the severity of asthma and reduce the prevalence and incidence of this condition. A possible contributing factor to the increased incidence of asthma in Western societies may the consumption of a pro-inflammatory diet. In the typical Western diet, 20-25-fold more omega (n)-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than n-3 PUFA are consumed, which results in the release of pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid metabolites. Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid are n-3 PUFA derived from fish oil that competitively inhibit n-6 PUFA arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism and this reduce the generation of pro-inflammatory 4-series leukotrienes (LTs) and 2-series prostaglandins (PGs) and production of cytokines from inflammatory cells. These data are consistent with the proposed pathway by which dietary intake of n-3 PUFA modulates lung disease. This article will review the existing information concerning the relationship between n-3 PUFA supplementation and airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma. It includes studies assessing the efficacy of n-3 PUFA supplementation in exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. This review will also address the question as to whether supplementing the diet with n-3 PUFA represents a viable alternative treatment regimen for asthma.

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids in asthma- and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Despite progress that has been made in the treatment of asthma, the prevalence and burden of this disease has continued to increase. While pharmacological treatment of asthma is usually highly effective, medications may have significant side effects or exhibit tachyphylaxis. Alternative therapies for treatment that reduce the dose requirements of pharmacological interventions would be beneficial, and could potentially reduce the public health burden of this disease. Ecological and temporal data suggest that dietary factors may have a role in recent increases in the prevalence of asthma. A possible contributing factor to the increased incidence of asthma in Western societies may be the consumption of a proinflammatory diet. In the typical Western diet, 20- to 25-fold more omega (n)-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than n-3 PUFA are consumed, which promotes the release of proinflammatory arachidonic acid metabolites (leukotrienes and prostanoids). This review will analyze the evidence for the health effects of n-3 PUFA in asthma- and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). While clinical data evaluating the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in asthma has been equivocal, it has recently been shown that fish oil supplementation, rich in n-3 PUFA, reduces airway narrowing, medication use, and proinflammatory mediator generation in nonatopic elite athletes with EIB. These findings are provocative and suggest that dietary fish oil supplementation may be a viable treatment modality and/or adjunct therapy in asthma and EIB.

Effects of Vitamin E on airway responses and biochemical parameters in guinea pigs sensitized to ovalbumin.

The effect of dietary supplementation with Vitamin E was studied in sensitized guinea pigs. After measurement of baseline airway reactivity and sensitization with ovalbumin, the animals were randomized into two groups: Group A, on a commercial feed and Group B, on dietary supplementation with oral Vitamin E (0.7 IU/kg). These were challenged with inhaled ovalbumin after 4 weeks. The following outcomes were studied: airway responses to ovalbumin inhalation, airway reactivity, sodium and calcium ion influx in isolated tracheal cells, Na+ K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase activity in tracheal homogenate and plasma malonaldehyde. Sensitization increased airway reactivity in Group A but not in Group B. The tracheal cells of animals in Group B showed significantly lower rates of 45Ca and 22Na influx and lower activities of tracheal Na+ K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase as compared to Group A. Plasma malonaldehyde was similar between two groups. We concluded that Vitamin E suppresses the increase in airway reactivity following sensitization and has membrane stabilizing actions.

Effect of dietary supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids on bronchial hyperreactivity in subjects with seasonal asthma.

Dietary supplementation with omega-3 essential fatty acids results in the production of uniqe 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase products which are biologically less active and may inhibit the production, or actions, of the eicosanoids produced when arachidonic acid is the substrate for 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, rather than omega-3 essential fatty acids. Since airway inflammation may play a central role in the pathophysiology of asthma, we studied the effect of omega-3 essential fatty acids on bronchial responsiveness in 7 atopic patients suffering from seasonal asthma due to airborne allergens, and positive to intracutaneous skin reaction to two or more allergens. Bronchial responsiveness to ultrasonically nebulized distilled water (UNDW) was determined 30 days from the initial ingestion of 3 g/day of omega-3 essential fatty acids and 30 days after stopping dietary supplementation. Flow volume curves and Raw were recorded before the provocation test, at the end of inhalation, and at 10-, 20-, 30- and 60-min intervals. The maximum fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and the maximum increase in airway resistance (Raw) were chosen as the main outcome parameters. After 30 days of dietary supplementation, bronchial responsiveness to UNDW was significantly improved (in fact maximum fall in FEV1 was -11% vs. -28% before treatment, and maximum increase in Raw was +37% vs. +265% before treatment). The challenge test repeated 30 days after stopping dietary supplementation was the same as that recorded before treatment. The present data strongly suggest the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with omega-3 essential fatty acids could decrease bronchial hyperreactivity in atopic patients.

Effect of dietary sodium on the severity of bronchial asthma.

BACKGROUND: A high sodium intake has been found to increase bronchial reactivity in men with asthma. The effects of change in sodium intake on peak flow rate have not been determined. METHODS: The effect of changing dietary salt intake for two weeks on the severity of asthma as measured by peak expiratory flow (PEF) was studied in 17 patients with mild asthma in an open randomised crossover trial. PEF measurements were made by the patients in their own homes. Patients were placed on three levels of dietary sodium intake: normal, low, and high. Sodium intake was assessed by 24 hour urine collection. RESULTS: The mean (SD) urine sodium was 147 (45), 84 (32), and 201 (73) mmol/24 hours in the normal, low, and high sodium intake periods respectively. There were no significant differences in PEF or PEF amplitude (highest--lowest PEF), an index of asthma lability, between the three dietary salt periods. CONCLUSION A low and high dietary salt intake for two weeks has no effect on peak expiratory flow in patients with mild asthma.