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Herb pair of Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum alleviates airway injury in asthmatic rats

Authors Ma, Jia-xin; Xiao, Xiong; Zhou, Kai-fang; Huang, Gang; Ao, Bo; Zhang, Ying; Gao, Wen-jun; Lei, Ting; Yang, Li; Fan, Xue-cheng; Li, Wen-hong

Journal JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY , APR 6 2021,:269

DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113745 PubMed 33359859

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance: Ephedrae Herba (EH, Ephedra sinica Stapf.) and Armeniacae Semen Amarum (ASA, Prunus armeniaca L. var. ansu Maxim.) have been used to treat asthma, cold, fever, and cough in China for thousands of years.Aim of the study: In this study, we aimed to investigate the optimal ratio of EH and ASA compatibility (EAC) to reduce airway injury in asthmatic rats and its possible mechanism.Methods: Rats were sensitized with a mixture of acetylcholine chloride and histamine bisphosphate 1 h before sensitization by intragastric administration of EAC or dexamethasone or saline for 7 days. Subsequently, the ultrastructure of rat airway epithelial tissue changes, apoptosis of the airway epithelial cells, and the expression of mRNA and protein of EGRF and Bcl-2 were detected.Results: Transmission electron microscope: EAC (groups C and E) had the most prominent effect on repairing airway epithelial cells'' ultrastructural changes in asthmatic rats. TUNEL: dexamethasone and EAC (groups B, C, E and F) inhibited the apoptosis of airway epithelial cells in asthmatic rats (P < 0.05). In situ hybridization: EAC (group E) inhibited the overexpression of EGFR and Bcl-2 mRNA (P < 0.05).Western Blotting: EAC (groups A, B, C, E and F) inhibited the upregulation of airway epithelial EGFR and Bcl-2 protein expression (P < 0.01).Conclusions: Our findings indicate that EAC can inhibit abnormal changes in airway epithelial structure and apoptosis of airway epithelial cells, thereby alleviating airway injury. In this study, the best combination of EH and ASA to alleviate airway epithelial injury in asthmatic rats was group E (EH: ASA = 8: 4.5).

Species covered 草麻黄 Ephedra sinica