tannins and Asthma

Pistacia integerrima with a common name crab's claw is an ethnobotanically important tree native to Asia. Traditionally plant parts particularly its galls have been utilized for treatment of cough, asthma, dysentery, liver disorders and for snake bite. Plant mainly contains alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and sterols in different parts including leaf, stem, bark, galls and fruit. A number of terpenoids, sterols and phenolic compounds have been isolated from Pistacia integerrima extracts. Plant has many biological activities including anti-microbial, antioxidant, analgesic, cytotoxicity and phytotoxicity due to its chemical constituents. This review covers its traditional ethnomedicinal uses along with progresses in biological and phytochemical evaluation of this medicinally important plant species and aims to serve as foundation for further exploration and utilization.

Topics: Alkaloids; Asthma; Cough; Dysentery; Ethnobotany; Flavonoids; Humans; Liver Diseases; Phytochemicals; Phytotherapy; Pistacia; Plant Extracts; Saponins; Snake Bites; Sterols; Tannins

This study was carried out to determine the effectiveness of physical and chemical environmental control measures for house dust mites (HDM) in controlling bronchial asthma in children.. A total of 160 asthmatic children who were sensitized to HDM underwent clinical and environmental assessment. The children were randomly allocated into one of four groups according to the intervention (chemical, physical, both chemical and physical, none) and the effectiveness of the intervention was assessed at 8 and 16 weeks.. The group for which physical control measures were used showed significant improvement in all outcome measures, including mean differences of forced expiratory volume after 1 s (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), which were 2.05% and 4.65 l/min, respectively, at the 8-week follow-up evaluation. The percentage of severe asthma decreased from 45 to 22%. Similar results were obtained for the group with both chemical (tannic acid) and physical interventions (p < 0.05 for all measures). In the group where tannic acid was used as a chemical measure, the number of children with moderate and severe asthma decreased from 15 in each category to 11 and 7, respectively. In the control group, only the mean difference of PEFR (1.62 l/min) was significant after 16 weeks. Despite these promising findings, only the FEV1 was significantly different (p = 0.014) when the four groups were compared.. Based on these results, we conclude that simple physical control measures have the potential to contribute to the control of asthma symptoms in asthmatic children sensitized to HDM allergen.

Topics: Acaricides; Animals; Antigens, Dermatophagoides; Arthropod Proteins; Asthma; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cysteine Endopeptidases; Dust; Egypt; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Male; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; Pyroglyphidae; Tannins; Tick Control

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, which is characterized by infiltration of inflammatory cells, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and airway remodeling. This study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of tannic acid (TA), a naturally occurring plant-derived polyphenol, in murine asthma model. BALB/c mice were given ovalbumin (OVA) to establish an allergic asthma model. The results revealed that TA treatment significantly decreased OVA-induced AHR, inflammatory cells infiltration, and the expression of various inflammatory mediators (Th2 and Th1 cytokines, eotaxin, and total IgE). Additionally, TA treatment also attenuated increases in mucins (Muc5ac and Muc5b) expression, mucus production in airway goblet cells, mast cells infiltration, and airway remodeling induced by OVA exposure. Furthermore, OVA-induced NF-κB (nuclear factor- kappa B) activation and cell adhesion molecules expression in the lungs was suppressed by TA treatment. In conclusion, TA effectively attenuated AHR, inflammatory response, and airway remodeling in OVA-challenged asthmatic mice. Therefore, TA may be a potential therapeutic option against allergic asthma in clinical settings.

Topics: Airway Remodeling; Allergens; Animals; Asthma; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Mice; Mucins; Nuts; Respiratory Hypersensitivity; Tannins; Th1 Cells; Th2 Cells

Airway smooth muscle hyperresponsiveness is a key component in the pathophysiology of asthma. Although calcium-activated chloride channel (CaCC) flux has been described in many cell types, including human airway smooth muscle (HASM), the true molecular identity of the channels responsible for this chloride conductance remains controversial. Recently, a new family of proteins thought to represent the true CaCCs was identified as the TMEM16 family. This led us to question whether members of this family are functionally expressed in native and cultured HASM. We further questioned whether expression of these channels contributes to the contractile function of HASM. We identified the mRNA expression of eight members of the TMEM16 family in HASM cells and show immunohistochemical evidence of TMEM16A in both cultured and native HASM. Functionally, we demonstrate that the classic chloride channel inhibitor, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB), inhibited halide flux in cultured HASM cells. Moreover, HASM cells displayed classical electrophysiological properties of CaCCs during whole cell electrophysiological recordings, which were blocked by using an antibody selective for TMEM16A. Furthermore, two distinct TMEM16A antagonists (tannic acid and benzbromarone) impaired a substance P-induced contraction in isolated guinea pig tracheal rings. These findings demonstrate that multiple members of this recently described family of CaCCs are expressed in HASM cells, they display classic electrophysiological properties of CaCCs, and they modulate contractile tone in airway smooth muscle. The TMEM16 family may provide a novel therapeutic target for limiting airway constriction in asthma.

Topics: Animals; Anoctamin-1; Anoctamins; Asthma; Benzbromarone; Bronchi; Chloride Channels; Chronic Disease; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Membrane Proteins; Multigene Family; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle; Neoplasm Proteins; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Primary Cell Culture; Tannins; Trachea

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Asthma; Blood Proteins; Glycoproteins; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Middle Aged; Neuraminic Acids; Tannins

Topics: Asthma; Gallic Acid; Humans; Hydrolyzable Tannins; Hypersensitivity; Immune System Diseases; Rhinitis, Allergic; Tannins; Urticaria