Medicinal & Aromatic Plants
Open Access

Indigofera suffruticosa Miller extracts suppress airway hyper responsiveness and inflammation in ovalbumin-sensitized and challenged asthmatic mouse model

3^rd Global Summit on Herbals & Traditional Medicine

October 18-20, 2017 Osaka, Japan

Kai-Li Liu and Cheng-Ju Chan

Chung Shan Medical University, Taiwan

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Med Aromat Plants

Abstract :

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by Airway Hyper Responsiveness (AHR) and obstruction as well as pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress. In the majority of asthmatics, excessive activation of T helper 2 (Th2) cells occurs in lungs. Aberrant activation of Th2 cells by allergens increased secretion of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 which are crucial for developing the pathophysiological symptoms of asthma. IL-4 and IL-13 plays a role in activation of B cells for Immunoglobulin E (IgE) synthesis, increase of inflammatory responses and AHR. Indigofera suffruticosa Miller is an herbal medicine for the treatment of inflammation. In this study, we investigated the effect of I. suffruticosa extracts on asthmatic responses in the Th2-mediated ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma model. Data show that treatment with I. suffruticosa water and ethanol extracts significantly attenuated AHR as measured by the enhanced pause response. Moreover, I. suffruticosa extracts diminished oxidative stress, IgE secretion, inflammation cell infiltration, levels of IL-13 and tumor necrosis factor-�± in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Indigofera suffruticosa extracts reduced Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation as well as Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-�ºB) activation as evidenced by decreases in nuclear NF-�ºB p65 protein and nuclear NF-�ºB protein DNA binding affinity in lung tissues. Our results suggest the I. suffruticosa could lessen allergic asthma through inhibition of MAPKs/NF-�ºB pathway.

Biography :

Kai-Li Liu has completed her PhD degree from Department of Foods and Nutrition at Purdue University. She is currently a Professor of Nutrition Department at Chung Medical University. She has published 2 papers about the health benefits of I. suffruticosa in food and chemical toxicology.