The effect of 3-year parental smoking on asthma status of their children.

OBJECTIVE: Whilst the prevalence and severity of asthma influenced by environmental factors, the effect of parental smoking on asthma status of their children was examined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety asthmatic children, 32 with smoker and 58 with non-smoker parents (baseline age, 8.5 ± 3.5 and 8.2 ± 3.3 respectively) were studies in two sessions 3 years apart by evaluating respiratory symptoms (RS) prevalence and severity, various drugs used, and pulmonary function tests (PFT) including forced vital capacity; forced volume in the first second, peak expiratory flow; and maximum expiratory low at 75, 50 and 25% of vital capacity (FVC, FEV1, PEF, MEF75, MEF50 and MEF25, respectively). RESULTS: The prevalence and severity of all RS were significantly increased in asthmatic children with smoking parents after 3 years except prevalence and severity of night wheeze and the prevalence of chest wheeze (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001), but the PFT values were non-significantly reduced. In asthmatic children with non-smoking parents, the prevalence and severity of RS were decreased after 3 years, which was significant for night and chest wheeze for prevalence and night cough and chest wheeze for severity (all, p < 0.05), and the PFT values were increased, which were statistically significant for FVC, FEV1, MEF50 and MEF25 (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01). Drugs used by the group with smoking parents were increased and were significantly higher than their reduction in the groups with non-smoking parents at the end of the study (p < 0.05 for fluticasone propionate 125/salmeterol and budesonide160/formoterol). CONCLUSION: Long-term parental smoking increased prevalence and severity of RS and drug used but decreased PFT values of their asthmatic children.

Thymoquinone Ameliorates Lung Inflammation and Pathological Changes Observed in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Lung Injury.

Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects of thymoquinone (TQ) have been shown. The effects of TQ on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced inflammation and pathological changes in rats' lung were investigated in this study. Four groups of rats included (1) control (saline treated); (2) LPS (treated with 1 mg/kg/day i.p. for two weeks); and (3 and 4) 5 or 10 mg/kg TQ i.p. 30 min prior to LPS administration. Total and differential WBC counts in the blood and bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF), TGF-ß1, INF-γ, PGE2, and IL-4 levels in the BALF and pathological changes of the lung were evaluated. Total WBC count and eosinophil, neutrophil, and monocyte percentage were increased, but the lymphocyte percentage was reduced in the blood and BALF. The BALF levels of PGE2, TGF-ß1, and INF-γ were also increased, but IL-4 level was reduced due to LPS administration. LPS also induced pathological insults in the lung of rats (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001 for all changes in LPS-exposed animals). Treatment with TQ showed a significant improvement in all changes induced by LPS (P < 0.05 to P < 0.05). TQ showed a protective effect on LPS-induced lung inflammation and pathological changes in rats which suggested a therapeutic potential for TQ on lung injury.

Anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of auraptene on phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced inflammation in human lymphocytes.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is characterized as a defensive response of our body against endogenous or exogenous stimuli. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress play an important role in the pathogenesis of various disorders such as asthma, cancers, and multiple sclerosis. Recently, diverse pharmacological activities of auraptene, a natural prenyloxycoumarin, were reported. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of auraptene on human isolated lymphocytes. METHOD: The effects of auraptene (10, 30 and 90 µM) and dexamethasone (0.1 mM) were evaluated on cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and total glutathione content (GSH) as well as the secretion of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human lymphocytes. RESULTS: Auraptene (10-90 µM) did not affect lymphocytes' viability after 48 h incubation. PHA markedly elevated ROS, MDA, IL-6, and TNF-α levels, while diminished the GSH content, and CAT and SOD activities in human lymphocytes (p < 0.001 for all cases). Treatment with auraptene (10-90 µM) significantly ameliorated ROS, MDA, IL-6, and TNF-α levels, and markedly increased GSH content, and CAT and SOD activities (p < 0.5-0.001). CONCLUSION: Auraptene may possess promising healing effects in the different inflammatory disorders associated with activation of the acquired immune system such as multiple sclerosis and asthma.

Zataria multiflora induced bronchodilatoion comparable to theophylline syrup in asthmatic patients.

OBJECTIVE: The bronchodilatory effect of hydro-ethanolic extract of Z. multiflora was examined in asthmatic patients. DESIGN: Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were measured before and 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 min after administration of the extract (20 mg/kg) in 18 asthmatics and after theophylline syrup (6 mg/kg) in 12 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The extract of Z. multiflora significantly increased all PFT values, 30 to 180 min post-administration similar to the effect of theophylline (all, p<0.001). Increased PFT values due to the extract were significantly declined 180 min but the effects of theophylline were declined 150 min after administration (p<0.05 to p<0.001). Values of PFTs at baseline, 30 and 180 min after drugs administration were not singnificantly different between the extract and theophylline. CONCLUSIONS: Z. multiflora showed a bronchodilatory effect in asthmatic patients comparable to theophylline effect but with a longer duration of action.

The protective effect of Nigella sativa extract on lung inflammation and oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Oxidative stress during inflammation can increase inflammation and damage tissue. Nigella sativa L. (NS) showed many pharmacological properties including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, the preventive effect of NS on lung inflammation and oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the rats was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male rats were assigned to: Control, LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p.), LPS + NS (100, 200, 400 mg/kg, i.p.), (10 per group). Saline (1 ml/kg) was intra-peritoneal (i.p.) injected instead of LPS in the rats of the control group. LPS dissolved in saline and injected i.p. daily for 14 days. Treatment with NS extracts started two days before LPS administration and treatment continued during LPS administration. White blood cells (WBC), total and differential as well as oxidative stress index in bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) and serum, TGF-ß1, IFN-γ, PGE2, and IL-4 levels in the BALF and lung histopathology were examined. RESULTS: LPS administration increased total WBC, eosinophils, neutrophils, basophils, and monocytes counts as well as oxidative stress markers in the BALF and serum as well as TGF-ß1, IFN-γ, PGE2, IL-4 levels in the BALF and pathological changes of the lung tissue. All of these effects were reduced by NS extract treatment dose-dependently. CONCLUSION: These results suggested the protective effects of NS extract on lung inflammation and oxidative stress as well as its effect on lung pathology induced by LPS dose-dependently.

Carvacrol attenuates serum levels of total protein, phospholipase A2 and histamine in asthmatic guinea pig.

OBJECTIVE: Pharmacological effects of carvacrol such as its anti-inflammatory activities have been shows. In this study the effects of carvacrol on serum levels of total protein (TP), phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and histamine in sensitized guinea pigs was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sensitized guinea pigs were given drinking water alone (group S), drinking water containing three concentrations of carvacrol (40, 80 and 160 µg/ml) or dexamethasone. Serum levels of TP, PLA2 and histamine were examined I all sensitized groups as well as a non-sensitized control group (n=6 for each group). RESULTS: In sensitized animals, serum levels of TP, PLA2 and histamine were significantly increased compared to control animals (p<0.05 to p<0.001). Significant reduction in TP, PLA2 and histamine levels were observed in treated groups with the two higher concentrations of carvacrol but dexamethasone treatment only decreased serum level of PLA2 (p<0.05 to p<0.001). Although the effect of the lowest concentration of the extract was less than that of dexamethasone (p<0.05 for TP and p<0.001 for PLA2), the effects of the two higher concentrations on PLA2 were similar to dexamethasone and on TP (p<0.01) and histamine (p<0.001) were higher than those of dexamethasone. CONCLUSION: These results showed that carvacrol reduced serum levels of TP, PLA2 and histamine in sensitized guinea pigs which may indicate an anti-inflammatory effect of this agent in inflammatory disorders such as asthma.