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Updated: Sep 6, 2025
Murine Model of Allergen Induced Asthma
Published on: May 14, 2012
Effect of Agmatine on a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation: A comparative study
Mohammed K Еlmahdy1, Rania R Abdelaziz1, Hoda S Elmahdi2
1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mansoura, Mansoura, Egypt.
Introduction:
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that injures and constricts the airways. This study evaluates the effects of agmatine on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic inflammation of the airways.
Methods:
OVA sensitization by intraperitoneal injection was used to induce airway inflammation in mice on days 0 and 7; then the mice were challenged using beclomethasone (150 µg/kg, inhalation), a standard anti-asthmatic drug, from day 14 to day 16. Furthermore, agmatine (200 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected on day 0 and then daily for 16 days, followed by OVA challenge. The lung weight ratio, total and differential cell counts, TNF-α, interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung nitrite/nitrate (NO), and oxidative parameters were determined. Moreover, histopathological and immunohistochemical staining was employed.
Results:
Injection of agmatine (200 mg/kg) for 16 days significantly attenuated inflammation of the airways. The levels of BALF inflammatory cells, TNF-α, IL-5, IL-13, lung NO, and malondialdehyde (MDA), significantly decreased with concomitant elevation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses of mast cells paralleled to biochemical improvements.
Conclusion:
Finally, this study illustrated that agmatine attenuates the allergic inflammation of airways caused by OVA by mitigating cytokines release, NO expression, and oxidative stress.
