Abstract
Hypersecretion is recognized as an importan feature in asthma. Besides the alteration in airway epithelium, asthma is frequent associated to changes in nasal epithelium. Previously, we demonstrated that sakuranetin, a flavonoid derived from a plant called Baccharis Retusa reduced airway inflammation and remodeling improving the lung function.
Aims: To evaluate whether sakuranetin treatment interferes with nasal and bronchial epithelial alterations in an asthma model.
Methods: BALB/c mice received ovalbumin (OVA) (ip) on days 0 and 14, and were challenged with aerolized OVA 1% on days 24, 26 and 28. OVA-sensitized animals received vehicle, sakuranetin or dexamethasone daily from 24th to 29th day. Both the lung and the nose were collected and submitted to PAS/AB stain to evaluate bronchial and nasal epithelial area and mucus. Epithelial IL-13 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry.
Results: The SK treatment reduced the percentage of bronchial and nasal acid mucus as well as the bronchial epithelial area (P<0.05) The positive cells for IL-13 were reduced by SK treatment in OVA-sensitized animals only in nasal epithelial (P<0.05). SK treatment showed similar effects of DX treatment. The positive cells to IL-13 in bronchial epithelial were not reduced by SK or by DX.
Conclusion: The sakuranetin treatment was effective in reducing bronchial and nasal epithelial acid mucus as well as bronchial epithelial area in the same level of corticosteroid. At least in the lung, the mechanism involved in the effects of SK on mucus was not related to IL-13. These data reinforce the efficacy of SK in asthma models.
- Copyright ©the authors 2016