A standardized aqueous extract of Anoectochilus formosanus modulated airway hyperresponsiveness in an OVA-inhaled murine model

Anoectochilus formosanus HAYATA, a Chinese herb, is a valued folk medicine for fever, pain, and diseases of the lung and liver. Allergic asthma is characterized by increased serum IgE level and inflammation of the airways with high levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF). Constriction of airway smooth muscle and development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) are the most important symptoms of allergic asthma. In our previous study, a standardized aqueous extract of A. formosanus (SAEAF) was used to modulate innate immunity of normal mice. In this study, airway inflammatory infiltrations, including T cell differentiation, cytokine modulation, allergic antibodies estimation, pulmonary pathology, and enhanced pause (Penh) of AHR were used to evaluate SAEAF treatment of an ovalbumin (OVA)-inhaled airway allergic murine model. The resulting cytokine profiles demonstrated that SAEAF can significantly reduce Th2 polarization after administration of SAEAF in OVA inhalation. These results also suggest that SAEAF modulates cytokine secretion in allergic asthma. Modulated natural T regulatory cells (CD25+/CD4+, Treg) were also shown to increase immuno-suppression in the allergic lung inflammation and further down-regulate airway inflammatory infiltration in eosinophils and macrophages. Finally, decreased airway anti-OVA IgE secretion and reduced AHR were observed. Our results indicate that the administration of SAEAF can modulate cytokines and T cell subpopulation by regulating inflammatory cell infiltration and modulating the allergic response.