Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Maragheh University, Maragheh, Iran.
Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2020 Nov-Dec;48(6):646-653. doi: 10.1016/j.aller.2020.01.003. Epub 2020 Apr 10.
Allergic asthma is a complex chronic disease of the respiratory system presenting with cough, dyspnea, wheezing and airway obstruction. More than 300 million people of all age spectrums suffer from asthma worldwide. Immunological and inflammatory processes are main contributors to asthma. Cytokines produced by T helper 2 lymphocytes play main roles in asthma development and progression. Silymarin, a therapeutic agent with anti-oxidative properties, is a main component of Silybium marinum. We herein aimed to compare the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects of two silymarin isomers, isosilybin A and silydianin, in the treatment of allergic asthma.
After isolating and purifying isosilybin A and silydianin, Balb/c mouse model of allergic asthma was produced using ovalbumin injection. Seventy mice were categorized into five (1 normal and 4 asthmatic) groups (n = 14 per group). Mice in three of four asthmatic groups were treated with either isosilybin A, silydianin or budesonide. The 4th asthmatic group was used as positive control, with the non-asthmatic group serving as negative control. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in the BAL fluid were determined. Gene expressions of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and MUC5ac, as well as IgE serum level were also measured. Cellular composition of BAL fluid and lungs histopathology were finally investigated.
Isosilybin A and silydianin reduced eosinophilic infiltration of lungs, IL-4 and IL-5 levels in BAL fluid, IL-4 and IL-5 gene expressions, as well as AHR in Balb/c mouse model of asthma. However, no significant changes were observed in IL-13 level and mucus hyper-secretion.
According to our study, isosilybin A and silydianin can control main symptoms of asthma by modulating immune responses.
过敏性哮喘是一种复杂的慢性呼吸系统疾病，表现为咳嗽、呼吸困难、喘息和气道阻塞。全世界有超过 3 亿人患有哮喘，年龄分布广泛。免疫和炎症过程是哮喘的主要原因。辅助性 T 淋巴细胞产生的细胞因子在哮喘的发展和进展中起主要作用。水飞蓟素是一种具有抗氧化特性的治疗药物，是水飞蓟宾的主要成分。我们旨在比较水飞蓟宾两种异构体即水飞蓟宾 A 和水飞蓟宁的抗炎和抗过敏作用，以治疗过敏性哮喘。
在分离和纯化水飞蓟宾 A 和水飞蓟宁后，我们使用卵清蛋白注射建立了 Balb/c 过敏性哮喘小鼠模型。将 70 只小鼠分为五组（正常和 4 个哮喘组，每组 14 只）。四个哮喘组中的三组分别用水飞蓟宾 A、水飞蓟宁或布地奈德治疗。第四个哮喘组作为阳性对照组，非哮喘组作为阴性对照组。测定气道高反应性（AHR）和 BAL 液中 IL-4、IL-5 和 IL-13 水平。还测量了 BAL 液中 IL-4、IL-5、IL-13 和 MUC5ac 的基因表达以及 IgE 血清水平。最后研究了 BAL 液和肺组织病理学中的细胞组成。
水飞蓟宾 A 和水飞蓟宁减少了哮喘小鼠肺部嗜酸性粒细胞浸润、BAL 液中 IL-4 和 IL-5 水平、IL-4 和 IL-5 基因表达以及 AHR。然而，IL-13 水平和粘液过度分泌没有明显变化。
根据我们的研究，水飞蓟宾 A 和水飞蓟宁可以通过调节免疫反应来控制哮喘的主要症状。
