Zeitschrift für Allergie und Therapie

Abstrakt

Chinese Propolis Attenuates In-Vivo and In-Vitro Asthmatic Reactions

El-Sayed M Ammar, Nariman M Gameil, Manar A Nader and Noha M Shawky

This study was designed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of Chinese Propolis (prepared as an ethanolic extract) on asthmatic reactions in-vivo and in-vitro. Ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) significantly inhibited OVA-induced contractions of passively sensitized guinea pig tracheal zigzag preparations producing significant increase and decrease in EC50 and Emax, respectively. EEP appeared to exhibit significant inhibitory effects on allergic and inflammatory reaction associated murine model of asthma. EEP significantly reduced aggregation of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and in lung tissues with marked dilated bronchia. Also, EEP markedly reduced serum IgE and lung mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in mice. These results suggest that EEP is a potent inhibitor of the inflammatory changes associating asthma and it could be used as an adjuvant therapy for patients with allergic airway inflammation.