Modified Haoqin Qingdan Decoction Exerts Antioxidant Effect via Activating PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 Pathway on Allergic Asthma Mice
Xiaojun Dong, Qi Zhang, Juan Gu, Mingxing Cai, Yuan Gan, Yanni Ye, Xun Yang, Dou Ding, Xiuwen Xia- Complementary and alternative medicine
- Plant Science
- Drug Discovery
- Pharmacology
- General Medicine
Objective
The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant effect and potential mechanism of Modified Haoqin Qingdan Decoction on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma (AA) mice.
Methods
The AA model of mice was induced by OVA combined with aluminum hydroxide. Resistance Index (RI) in airway was analyzed by AniRes2005 animal pulmonary function analyzer. H&E staining was used to evaluate the pathological changes of lung tissue. The apoptosis in lung tissue was detected by TUNEL staining. The percentage of EOS cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was determined by flow cytometry. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-4, GM-CSF, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in serum were determined by ELISA. Biochemical kits were used to detect levels of SOD, MDA, and GSH-Px in lung tissue. The protein expression of PI3K, p-PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, and nucleoprotein Nrf-2 in lung tissue was detected by western blotting.
Result
Modified Haoqin Qingdan Decoction reduced RI, alleviated the degree of histopathological damage, inhibited apoptosis rate, reduced the proportion of EOS cells, downregulated IL-1β, IL-6, IL-4, GM-CSF, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and MDA, upregulated SOD, GSH-Px, p-PI3K, p-Akt, and nucleoprotein Nrf-2.
Conclusion
Modified Haoqin Qingdan Decoction activated nucleoprotein Nrf2 by regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to exert its protective effect against inflammatory and oxidative stress in AA mice.