Effects of zanthoxylum seed oil on mast cells and tryptase of asthmatic models in guinea pigs

    XIE Baiª²Mei1£¬QI Haoª²Wen1£¬ZHAO Rui1£¬LIN Xiaoª²Ping2

    1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033£¬China£¬2Department of Allergy Medicine£¬Shenyang General Hospital£¬Shenyang Millitary Area Command£¬Shenyang 110016£¬China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To explore the effects of zanthoxylum seed oil (ZSO) on mast cells in lung tissue and tryptase in plasma of asthmatic models in guinea pigs and to provide theoretical basis for the treatment of asthma by using ZSO. METHODS: This experiment included 4 groups: normal control group, asthmatic model group, dexamethasone treatment group and ZSO treatment group, 9 guinea pigs involved in each group. Asthmatic models in guinea pigs were constructed by immunization of intraperitoneal injection with ovalbumin (OVA) and challenge of inspiration with nebuª²lized OVA. Mast cells were observed under a microscope and tryptase levels were measured by antibody against tryptase with UniCAP100 system. RESULTS: The numbers of mast cells and the percentage of degranulation of mast cells in lung tissue and the plasma levels of tryptase of asthmatic model group in guinea pigs [(14.87¡À4.67),(42.85¡À5.99)% and (119.78¡À12.50)] were significantly higher than those of normal control group [(2.38¡À0.52),(24.91¡À9.79)% and (88.78¡À4.74)] (P<0.01). While the above indices in the ZSO group [(6.38¡À1.06),(25.44¡À8.21)% and (93.22¡À6.40)] and dexamethasone group[(6.63¡À1.41),(25.33¡À6.14)% and (92.10¡À7.11)] were significantly lower than those of the asthmatic model group (P<0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the above indices between ZSO group and dexamethasone group (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: ZSO could efficiently decrease the numbers of mast cells and the percentage of degranulation of mast cells in lung tissue and the plasma levels of tryptase of asthmatic guinea pigs, so that it could effectively treat asthma. ......