prednisolone-hemisuccinate and Asthma

Topics: Administration, Inhalation; Asthma; Bronchodilator Agents; Emergencies; Humans; Hypoxia; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; Patient Admission; Prednisolone; Pulmonary Ventilation; Pulse; Work of Breathing

Cell suspension cultures of Luffa cylindrica, Citrullus lanatus, and related cucurbitaceous plants accumulate large quantities of bryonolic acid (3 beta-hydroxy-D:C-friedoolean-8-en-29-oic acid) [1], an acidic, pentacyclic triterpene found exclusively in the roots of the intact plants. This compound could readily be isolated from cultured cells with CHCl3 and purified simply by recrystallization. Pharmacological tests using mice demonstrated that bryonolic acid or its derivative is active against at least three types of allergies and that its activity could be increased significantly by preparing synthetic derivatives, in particular a potassium salt of its succinate ester. The biosynthesis of bryonolic acid from mevalonic acid via isomultiflorenol has been elucidated by tracer and enzymological experiments using cultured cells of watermelon both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, cell fractionation and electron microscopic studies on subcellular structures of luffa cells suggested that minute vesicles originating from elongated, rough endoplasmic reticulum probably play an important role in the transport of bryonolic acid which largely accumulates in the cell wall of cultured cells. The results obtained from the present study indicate that plant cell culture would be useful not only as a biological system for elucidating biosynthetic mechanisms but also as a potential source of new pharmacologically active compounds.

Topics: Animals; Arthus Reaction; Asthma; Dermatitis; Erythrocytes; Hypersensitivity; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis; Plants; Triterpenes

The in vitro production of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by mononuclear cells (MNC) from the peripheral blood of patients with bronchial asthma (BA) was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). GM-CSF concentrations in the media of MNC from patients with BA cultured with interleukin-2 (IL-2) was 80.2 +/- 52.0 pg/ml (mean +/- SE, n = 12), and that in cultures without a stimulant was 12.1 +/- 11.3 pg/ml. The GM-CSF concentrations in the media of MNC from patients with other diseases (n = 13) and from healthy volunteers (n = 6) cultured with or without IL-2 were less than 7.5 pg/ml (the minimum detectable value). The culture media of MNC from patients with BA demonstrated activities for stimulating the proliferation and survival of eosinophils, and these activities were partially inhibited by anti-GM-CSF antibodies. GM-CSF production by MNC of patients with BA treated with glucocorticoids was lower than that of MNC from untreated patients with BA, and it was inhibited by coculture with glucocorticoids in vitro. These results suggest that GM-CSF production by MNC is increased in patients with BA, is modulated by glucocorticoids, and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of BA.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Asthma; Binding, Competitive; Cell Division; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Culture Media, Conditioned; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Eosinophils; Female; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; Humans; Interleukins; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Male; Middle Aged; Prednisolone

Topics: Adult; Anaphylaxis; Asthma; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Prednisolone

Topics: Adult; Aspirin; Asthma; Drug Hypersensitivity; Humans; Male; Prednisolone

Topics: Asthma; Injections, Intradermal; Prednisolone; Syndrome