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Updated: May 10, 2026

Murine Model of Allergen Induced Asthma
Published on: May 14, 2012
Effects of taraxasterol on ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma in mice
Jingtao Liu1, Huanzhang Xiong, Yao Cheng
1Department of Animal Medicine, Agricultural College of Yanbian University, Gongyuan Street, Yanji, Jilin 133002, PR China.
Ethnopharmacological Relevance:
Taraxasterol was isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Taraxacum officinale which has been frequently used as a remedy for inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we determined the in vivo protective effect of taraxasterol on allergic asthma induced by ovalbumin (OVA) in mice.
Materials And Methods:
Mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA, and were orally treated daily with taraxasterol at 2.5, 5 and 10mg/kg from day 23 to 27 after sensitization. The number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was determined. Th2 cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-5 (IL-5), interleukin-13 (IL-13) production in BALF and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) production in sera were measured using ELISA. Histological changes in lung tissues were examined using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid-Schiff staining (PAS). Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to inhaled methacholine was assessed.
Results:
Taraxasterol dramatically decreased the total inflammatory cell and main inflammatory cell counts, reduced the production of Th2 cytokine IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 in BALF and OVA-specific IgE in sera, and suppressed AHR in a dose-dependent manner. Histological studies demonstrated that taraxasterol substantially suppressed OVA-induced inflammatory cells infiltration into lung tissues and goblet cell hyperplasia in airways.
Conclusions:
This finding suggests that taraxasterol protects against OVA-induced allergic asthma in mice.
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