Inhibitory effects of Stemona tuberosa on lung inflammation in a subacute cigarette smoke-induced mouse model

Abstract

BackgroundStemona tuberosa has long been used in Korean and Chinese medicine to ameliorate various lung diseases such as pneumonia and bronchitis. However, it has not yet been proven that Stemona tuberosa has positive effects on lung inflammation.MethodsStemona tuberosa extract (ST) was orally administered to C57BL/6 mice 2 hr before exposure to CS for 2 weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last CS exposure, mice were sacrificed to investigate the changes in the expression of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), chemokines such as keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC) and inflammatory cells such as macrophages, neutrophils, and lymphocytes from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Furthermore, we compared the effect of ST on lung tissue morphology between the fresh air, CS exposure, and ST treatment groups.ResultsST significantly decreased the numbers of total cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and lymphocytes in the BALF of mice that were exposed to CS. Additionally, ST reduced the levels of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and the tested chemokine (KC) in BALF, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We also estimated the mean alveolar airspace (MAA) via morphometric analysis of lung tissues stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). We found that ST inhibited the alveolar airspace enlargement induced by CS exposure. Furthermore, we observed that the lung tissues of mice treated with ST showed ameliorated epithelial hyperplasia of the bronchioles compared with those of mice exposed only to CS.ConclusionsThese results indicate that Stemona tuberosa has significant effects on lung inflammation in a subacute CS-induced mouse model. According to these outcomes, Stemona tuberosa may represent a novel therapeutic herb for the treatment of lung diseases including COPD.

Alkaloids Used as Medicines: Structural Phytochemistry Meets Biodiversity—An Update and Forward Look

“…For alkaloids in rare species with identified therapeutic activities, the focus of research shifts early on to the synthesis of the compound. Stemona tuberosa has been used in Korean and Chinese medicine for lung disease with reports of antifungal and antibacterial effects [ 41 ]. The active alkaloid Croomine exerts antitussive activity and exhibits a dose-dependent inhibition of coughing in a citric acid-induced guinea pig cough model [ 42 ].…”

Influence of wood species on toxicity of log-wood stove combustion aerosols: a parallel animal and air-liquid interface cell exposure study on spruce and pine smoke

“…Concentrations were determined with Discovery Workbench 2006® (3.0.18) software using the curve fit model. Cytokines measured from BALF were then normalized for standardization purposes using the total protein concentrations of the corresponding BALF samples [51][52][53]. IL-8 from aerosol or H 2 O 2 -exposed A549 cell culture medium at 24 h after exposure was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (R&D Systems) in a plate reader (PerkinElmer, VICTOR3™ Multilabel Counter model 1420-051, USA).…”

Therapeutic Potential of Medicinal Plants and Their Constituents on Lung Inflammatory Disorders

“…Against the COPD model induced by cigarette smoke, several plant extracts such as Azadirachta indica , Callicarpa japonica , Cnidium monnieri , Euterpe oleracea , Galla chinensis , Juglans regia , Schisandra chinensis and Stemona tuberosa were found to inhibit inflammatory responses in the lung ( Qamar and Sultana, 2011 ; Koul et al ., 2012 ; Moura et al ., 2012 ; Kwak and Lim, 2014 ; Lee et al ., 2014 , 2015a , 2015d ; Zhong et al ., 2015 ), suggesting their therapeutic potential in chronic lung inflammatory diseases. Particularly, S. chinensis has been widely used for lung disorders in traditional medicine in the East Asia region, and the findings above provide the scientific basis for this traditional use.…”