casticin and Pulmonary-Disease--Chronic-Obstructive

The present study was conducted to elucidate the protective effect of Casticin against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in rats.. The COPD in rats was induced by the controlled cigarette smoke, and CST (10, 20, and 30 mg/kg) was injected into the cigarette-smoke exposed rats. Blood was taken from the abdominal vein and centrifuged (1500×g, 4°C, 15min); plasma was collected and used for the determination of various biochemical parameters.. The results of the study suggested that CST significantly improved the lung functions of the rats in a dose-dependent manner. It also causes a reduction of white blood cells, neutrophils, and macrophages in BALF of rats. The plasma level of leptin and C-reactive protein together with pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) were also significantly restored to near to normal in CST-treated group. In Western blot analysis, CST causes significant inhibition of the NF-ĸB and iNOS pathway.. Our study demonstrated that the CST protects lungs against COPD via improving lung functions and inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Topics: Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Flavonoids; Injections, Subcutaneous; Male; NF-kappa B; Oxidative Stress; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Smoke Inhalation Injury; Smoking

The aim of this study was to determine of the effect of casticin, as an anti-inflammatory agent, on an acute lung inflammation in vivo model established through exposure to cigarette smoke (CS). Casticin is a phytochemical from Vitex species such as Vitex rotundifolia and Vitex agnus-castus that was recently shown to exert an anti-inflammatory effect in vivo. To demonstrate the effects of casticin, C57BL/6 mice were whole-body exposed to mainstream CS or fresh air for two weeks and treated with 1, 2, and 10mg/kg casticin via an i.p. injection. Immune cell infiltrations and cytokine productions were assessed from bronchoalveolar lavage Fluid (BALF), and lung histological analysis was performed. Treatment with casticin was observed to significantly inhibit the numbers of total cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes and reduce the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the BALF. In addition, casticin significantly decreased the infiltration of peribronchial and perivascular inflammatory cells and the epithelium thickness. The results of this study indicate that casticin has significant effects on the lung inflammation induced by CS in a mouse model. According to these outcomes, casticin may have therapeutic potential in inflammatory lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Topics: Acute Disease; Animals; Cell Movement; Cytokines; Female; Flavonoids; Humans; Inflammation Mediators; Lung; Lymphocytes; Macrophages; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neutrophils; Pneumonia; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Smoking; Vitex