Codonopsis laceolata Water Extract Ameliorates Asthma Severity by Inducing Th2 Cells’ and Pulmonary Epithelial Cells’ Apoptosis via NF-κB/COX-2 Pathway

Abstract

Asthma is an incurable pulmonary disease with several symptoms, including abnormal breathing, coughing, and sleep apnea, which can lead to death, and the population of asthma patients has been increasing worldwide. There are many adverse effects in current drugs, and thus, we have tried to develop anti-asthmatic agents from natural products such as Codonopsis laceolata. To define the anti-asthmatic effect and the mechanism of Codonopsis laceolata, an animal study was conducted considering different cell counts of BALF, serum IgE levels, morphological changes in the pulmonary system, the Th2 cell transcription factor (GATA-3), and the apoptotic pathway (NF-κB/COX-2). Codonopsis laceolata significantly suppressed the representative asthmatic changes, such as airway remodeling, mucous hypersecretion, epithelial hyperplasia, and inflammatory cell infiltration, in the respiratory system. It suppressed the levels of GATA-3, IL-4, and IL-13. The down-regulation of Th2-related factors, such as GATA-3, IL-4, and IL-13, results from the stimulated apoptosis of Th2 cells and epithelial cells via a decrease in the levels of NF-κB and COX-2. We concluded that Codonopsis laceolata might be a promising anti-asthmatic drug.

Oxidative and carbonyl stress induced AMD and Codonopsis lanceolata ameliorates AMD via controlling oxidative and carbonyl stress

“…However, before considering them as candidates, their therapeutic mechanisms, such as anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and/or anti-carbonylation for preventing RPE cell death, should be confirmed. C. lanceolata is a culinary/medicinal material that has been used for a long time in Asia and has been reported to have biological effects, such as anti-hepatitis 24 , anti-inflammatory 25 , and anti-asthmatic effects 26 . These observations suggest that C. lanceolata has anti-inflammatory and immune modulation effects.…”

“…Codonopsis lanceolata ( C. lanceolata )has been used as a culinary ingredient and traditional medicinal material in Asia (Korea, China, and Japan) for a significant period of time. Recently, several biological effects of C. lanceolata have been reported, including its anti-proliferative effect on HT-29 colon cancer cells 22 , anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemia effects 23 , anti-hepatitis effect 24 , anti-inflammatory effect 25 , and anti-asthmatic effect 26 .…”

Drug Development from Natural Products Based on the Pathogenic Mechanism of Asthma

“…Honda, a culinary material, ameliorated inflammation through the downregulation of NO and IL-1β, which are related to TLR4 and NF-κB actions [95]. Codonopsis laceolata, which is used as a drug and as culinary material, suppressed asthma severity through NF-κB/COX-2 and PEG 2 pathways [96]. Echinodorus scaber rataj controls inflammation by downregulating inflammatory cell migration [97].…”

“…Further, it induced the apoptosis of airway smooth muscle cells through the dephosphorylation of ERK1/2 [101]. Codonopsis laceolata significantly controls ovalbumin-induced inflammation and cell death, such as apoptosis of infiltrated inflammatory cells and pulmonary epithelial cell death [96]. Curcumin induces cell death by decreasing the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and induces endoplasmic reticulum stress [102].…”