ovalbumin and schizandrin

We established a mouse model of allergic asthma by sensitizing with chicken ovalbumin. The volatile oils and decoctions from raw, wine- and vinegar-steamed Schisandra chinensis fruits were intragastrically administrated to the mice. Atomization, serum IgE, IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-γ in the lung homogenates and pathological sections were evaluated to compare the effect of these volatile oils and decoctions on allergic asthma in mice. The results showed that all Schisandra volatile oils could significantly suppress allergic asthma in mice. Raw Schisandra volatile oil was most effective followed by volatile oils extracted from wine-steamed and vinegar-steamed Schisandra. The decoctions had no significant impact. Our findings demonstrated that volatile oil was the active ingredient in Schisandra, and raw Schisandra could be used to prevent cough and asthma.

Topics: Animals; Asthma; Cyclooctanes; Fruit; Hypersensitivity; Lignans; Male; Mice; Oils, Volatile; Ovalbumin; Plant Extracts; Polycyclic Compounds; Schisandra

Schisandra chinensis (SC) and its main constituent, schizandrin (SCH) exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities. Allergic and inflammatory reactions are aggravated via caspase-1 signaling pathway. However, the regulatory effects of SC and SCH on caspase-1 activation have not been clarified yet. In this study, we aimed to clarify the anti-allergic effects of SC and SCH using an ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice and anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies-stimulated splenocytes. SC or SCH significantly inhibited the levels of immunoglobulin (Ig)E, IgG1, or interleukin (IL)-4 in serum of OVA-sensitized mice. SC or SCH significantly inhibited the levels of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-[Formula: see text], and IL-1[Formula: see text] in spleen of the OVA-sensitized mice. SC or SCH significantly suppressed the expression of caspase-1 and receptor-interacting protein (RIP)-2 in spleen of the OVA-sensitized mice. In activated splenocytes, SC or SCH significantly decreased the expression of caspase-1 and RIP-2 as well as the production of IL-6 and TNF-[Formula: see text]. We suggest that SC and SCH exert an anti-allergic effect by down-regulating caspase-1 signaling.

Topics: Animals; Caspase 1; Cyclooctanes; Down-Regulation; Hypersensitivity; Immunoglobulin E; Immunoglobulin G; Interleukin-1beta; Interleukin-4; Interleukin-6; Lignans; Mice; Ovalbumin; Plant Extracts; Polycyclic Compounds; Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinase 2; Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Schisandra; Spleen; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha