Immunomodulatory and anti-apoptotic effects of pediatric anti-cough and asthma sirup in mice with cigarette smoke extract-induced asthma
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background Asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by inflammation and immunological abnormalities, was the focus of this study, which explored the mechanisms and efficacy of a pediatric anti-cough and asthma syrup in a cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced rat asthma model.Methods A CSE-induced asthma rat model was treated with a syrup containing roasted ephedra, bitter almond, gypsum, and licorice. Key markers in serum/BALF were measured by ELISA. Inflammatory cells were analyzed by Giemsa staining, pathology by hematoxylin-eosin, and macrophage infiltration by CD68+ immunohistochemistry. Lung tissue apoptosis (TUNEL), and apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3) plus phosphorylated NF-κB (all by Western blot) were evaluated.Results The syrup treatment significantly attenuated CSE-induced airway inflammation in asthmatic rats, shown by decreased serum IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in BALF. It also restored oxidative balance by reversing MDA elevation and SOD reduction. Histopathologically, it alleviated peribronchial inflammation, cell infiltration, hemolysis, and alveolar septum thickening. Furthermore, it suppressed CSE-induced lung apoptosis, evidenced by fewer TUNEL-positive cells, reduced pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax and cleaved caspase-3), and increased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, likely via inhibiting NF-κB pathway activation.Conclusion The pediatric syrup holds therapeutic potential against CSE-induced asthma by regulating cytokine levels and decreasing pulmonary inflammation/apoptosis.
Authors: Qiong Zhang, Yang Jiang
Institution: Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4416099192