RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of butylphthalide on bronchial asthma in guinea pigs, and investigate the involvement of endothelin. METHODS: In guinea pigs, bronchial asthma was induced by injection of ovalbumin (OVA) and provoked by inhalation of OVA, and the effects of butylphthalide on asthma were evaluated through the changes it induced by OVA, pulmonary function, endothelin-1 (ET-1) contents and activity of endothelin converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), serum and lung tissue, and the gene expression of ET-1 in lung tissue. RESULTS: Butylphthalide significantly improved pulmonary function, lowered asthmatic behavior score, inhibited the activity of ECE-1, and reduced ET-1 gene expression level in lung tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Butylphthalide has an anti-asthma effect and the mechanisms involve inhibition of ECE-1 activity and lowering of ET-1geng expression.