[Effects of Angelicae Sinensis Radix on cAMP/Epac signaling pathway in the treatment of chronically infected cough mice with Yin deficiency syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR) on cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) /exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac) signaling pathway in the treatment of chronically infected cough mice with Yin deficiency syndrome. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into blank control group, model control group, positive control group and ASR group (n=8). The chronic cough mouse model of hyperreactive and infected airway with Yin deficiency syndrome was established with fumigation (once a day, 30 days in total), lipopolysaccharide nasal drip (every 3 days 10 µl, 10 times in total), intragastric administration of thyroid gland (120 mg/kg, once a day, a total of 15 days) and inhalation of ammonia (3 min / time × 10 times). On the basis of observing eating and drinking water, body weight and autonomic activities, the effects of ASR on metabolic level, autonomous activities, antitussive effect, cell factor in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) brain tissue 5-HT and lung tissue related active factors(SP, PGP9.5, cAMP, Epac1) were detected. RESULTS: ASR could significantly restrain cough, alleviate the pathological changes of bronchioles, reduce the contents of IL-4, IL-13, TNF-α in BALF and the levels of SP, PGP9.5, cAMP and Epac1 in lung tissues, increase the content of 5-HT in brain tissue (P＜0.05, 0.01). CONCLUSION: ASR has some effects on restraining cough and one of its mechanisms is to down-regulate cAMP/Epac signaling pathway, to alleviate airway neurogenic inflammation and reduce sensitivity of cough neural pathway.

[Effects of Butylphthalide on airway mucus hypersecretion, IL-13 and TNF-α in asthmatic mice].

Objective: To investigate the effects of Butylphthalide (NBP) on airway mucus hypersecretion, interleukin-13 (IL-13) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in asthmatic mice. Methods: The mice were randomly divided into control group, asthma group, DEX group and high, medium and low doses of NBP (100, 50, 25 mg/kg) groups (n=12). Ovalbumin (OVA) injection was sensitized on the 1st, 8th, and 15th day of the experiment, and OVA was inhaled on the 22nd day to stimulate for 5 weeks to replicate the asthma model, and 20 mg/kg of NBP was given for intervention before the challenge. Finally, the asthma behavior, the secretion of goblet cells and Mucin 5ac (Muc5ac)were observed, and meanwhile the viscosity of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the levels of Muc5ac, IL-13 and TNF-α in BALF were measured by ELISA. Results: Compared with the control group, the degree of sneezing, nose scratching and asthma, the proliferation of airway epithelial goblet cells and secretion of Muc5ac in the asthma group were increased significantly (P＜0.01), meanwhile, the viscosity of BALF and the contents of Muc5ac, IL-13 and TNF-α were also increased significantly (P＜0.01). Compared with the asthma group, the above behavioral scores of asthma were decreased significantly (P＜0.01) after the intervention of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg NBP, as well as the proliferation of airway epithelial goblet cells, secretion of Muc5ac, the viscosity of BALF and the contents of Muc5ac, IL-13 and TNF-α were significantly lower than those of the asthma group (P＜0.05, 0.01). Conclusion: NBP has the effect of anti-asthma by inhibiting mucus hypersecretion, and one of its mechanisms is to alleviate the abnormal expressions of IL-13 and TNF-α.