MISTLETOE EXTRACT HELIXOR TREATMENT ATTENUATES ALLERGIC AIRWAY REMODELING IN A MOUSE MODEL OF ASTHMA

Background: Mistletoe extracts (Viscum album extracts. VAE), widely used in complementary and alternative cancer therapy, possess cytotoxic, as well as immunostimulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated anti-inflammatory effect of Mistletoe extract Helixor as a possible approach for preventing ovalbumin-induced airway remodeling in a mouse model of asthma. Methods: Thirty-five BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: I; II; III; IV; and control group. All groups except control group were sensitised and challenged with ovalbumin. Mice with experimentally induced asthma in Group I received saline; Group II dexamethasone mg/kg; Group III VAE 100 mu g/kg; and Group IV VAE 300 mu g/kg intraperitoneally once a day in the last fifteen days of the challenge period. Animals were sacrificed 24h after the last administration of study drugs. Histological findings of airways were evaluated by light microscopic examination. Also, the effect of VAEs on IL-5 level were investigated in a mouse model of asthma. Results: All histological parameters of asthma in the groups treated with both doses of VAE (Group III,IV) were significantly ameliorated when compared with the group treated with saline (Group I). All histological parameters were similar between the groups treated with both doses of VAE (Group III,IV) and the group treated with dexamethasone (Group II). In addition, treatment with VAE in ovalbumin-sensitized mice decreased IL-5 level. Conclusion: We found that VAE ameliorated ovalbumin-induced allergic airway remodeling in chronic murine model of asthma. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of VAE in the treatment of asthma.