• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.891-901
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• 2017

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the anti-asthmatic effect of alismatis rhizoma and alisol acetate B combination therapy in a murine asthma model. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were sensitized to and challenged with a mixture of ragweed, dust mite, and aspergillus to induce an asthma animal model. Alismatis rhizoma extract and alisol acetate B combination therapy was co-administered only in the experimental group. To evaluate the anti-asthmatic effect of the combination therapy, inflammatory cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were determined, and tissue was examined histologically with hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stains, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of IgE, IL-4, and IL-5, and with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of IL-5, IL-33, MUC5AC. Results: Alismatis rhizoma and alisol acetate B combination therapy reduced the number of inflammatory cells, alleviated histologic features, and down-regulated all the investigated asthma mediators, IgE, IL-4, IL-5, IL-33, and MUC5AC. Conclusions: According to the above results, alismatis rhizoma and alisol acetate B combination therapy may have therapeutic potential for asthma.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.123-136
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• 2024

Background/Aims: Despite short-acting β₂-agonist (SABA) overuse being associated with poor asthma outcomes, data on SABA use in South Korea is scarce. Herein, we describe prescription patterns of SABA and other asthma medications in patients from the South Korean cohort of the SABA use IN Asthma (SABINA) III study. Methods: This study included patients with asthma aged ≥ 12 years, who had ≥ 3 consultations with the same healthcare provider, and medical records containing data for ≥ 12 months prior to the study visit. Patients were classified by investigator-defined asthma severity (per 2017 Global Initiative for Asthma recommendations) and practice type (primary or specialist care). Data on disease characteristics, asthma treatments, and clinical outcomes in the 12 months before the study visit were collected using electronic case report forms. Results: Data from 476 patients (mean age, 55.4 years; female, 63.0%) were analyzed. Most patients were treated by specialists (83.7%) and had moderate-to-severe asthma (91.0%). Overall, 7.6% of patients were prescribed ≥ 3 SABA canisters (defined as over-prescription). In patients prescribed SABA in addition to maintenance therapy, 47.4% were over-prescribed SABA. Most patients (95.4%) were prescribed a fixed-dose combination of an inhaled corticosteroid and a long-acting β₂-agonist as maintenance therapy. Although asthma was well-controlled/partly-controlled in 91.6% of patients, 29.6% experienced ≥ 1 severe asthma exacerbation. Conclusions: SABA over-prescription was reported in nearly 50% of patients prescribed SABA in addition to maintenance therapy, underscoring the need to align clinical practices with the latest evidence-based recommendations and educate physicians and patients on appropriate SABA use.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2021

Asthma is a chronic obstructive lung disease characterized by recurrent episodes of bronchoconstriction and wheezing. Conventional asthma treatment involves the suppression of airway inflammation or improving airway flow. Rosmarinus officialis, also known as rosemary, is a Mediterranean plant that is used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Carnosol, a diterpenoid found in rosemary extracts, has been known to exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and anti-oxidant effects. The effect of carnosol on allergic responses has not been tested yet. The effect of carnosol on a murine allergic asthma model were investigated. Carnosol inhibited the degranulation of RBL-2H3 mast cells. Carnosol treatment inhibited the increase in the number of eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) of mice treated with ovalbumin. Carnosol treatment also inhibited inflammatory responses and mucin production in histologic studies. Carnosol treatment inhibited the increases of IL-4 and IL-13 cytokines expression in both BALF and the lungs. These results suggest that carnosol may have a potential for allergic asthma therapy.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.577-585
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• 2014

The cosmetic and stimulating effects of lemon oil have been widely proven in the fields of beauty therapy and psychology therapy. But the lemon oil's proper effects on the anti asthma and the anti inflammation have not rarely been verified. This study was conducted to find out the lemon oil's effects on the anti asthma and anti inflammation in the OVA-induced allergic asthma mice model. OVA-induced allergic asthma mice were divided into 4 groups consisting of normal group, control group, positive control group and experimental group. 0.3% of lemon oil was nebulized to experimental group for 3 weeks on a basis of 3 times per week and 30 min each time. After 6 weeks from the initial experiment, the degree of hyper activeness of respiratory system, the hematological change, the amount of the cytokein in serum, the change of airway organization were evaluated. The results showed that lemon oil controled effectively the hyper activeness of respiratory system and restricted the multiplication of cells in acidophil in terms of statistical significance. It also turned out that lemon oil restricted effectively the infection of airway reaction and the hyper sensitiveness of respiratory system by controlling the creation of histamine(cytokein) and IgE.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.77 no.6
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• pp.237-242
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• 2014

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway that comprises a variety of etiologies and inflammatory phenotypes. Clinically, there is a wide range of patients with varying severities and responses to individual drugs. The introduction of inhaled corticosteroid therapy has dramatically changed the treatment of asthma. Recent development of new therapies suggests the possibility of another breakthrough. These can be categorized as follows: anti-cytokine therapies that usually target eosinophilic inflammation, sublingual immunotherapy, and bronchial thermoplasty. In this paper, we will review the major articles related to asthma treatment that were published in 2013.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.341-351
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• 2015

This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of Cypress oil(CS) on anti-asthmatic activities in a mouse model of allergic asthma. Using an Ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma mouse model, 0.3% of CS was administered to experimental group using a nebulizer for 3 weeks on a basis of 3 times per week and 30min each time. The degree of airway hypersensitivity, the number of eosinophil in white blood cells, the number of immune cells and the change of cytokine in lung tissue were evaluated. The degree of airway hypersensitivity, the number of eosinophil, IL-5 and IL-13 levels in lung tissue, IgE in serum, the number of CCR3, CD3, CD4 cells were significantly decreased in experimental group treated with CS. These results suggested that CS may have a positive effects on Th2 cytokine and eosinophils which are major factors of asthma responses. Therefore CS might be of therapeutic value in treating asthma.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.215-227
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• 2024

Asthma is characterized by airway obstruction and inflammation, and presents significant diagnostic and treatment challenges. The concept of endotypes has improved understanding of the mechanisms of asthma and has stimulated the development of effective treatment strategies. Sputum profiles may be used to classify asthma into two major inflammatory types: type 2-high (T2H) and type 2-low (T2L) asthma. T2H, characterized by elevated type 2 inflammation, has been extensively studied and several effective biologic treatments have been developed. However, managing T2L is more difficult due to the lack of reliable biomarkers for accurate diagnosis and classification. Additionally, conventional anti-inflammatory therapy does not completely control the symptoms of T2L; therefore, further research is needed to identify effective biologic treatments. This review provides new insights into the clinical characteristics and underlying mechanisms of severe T2L and investigates potential therapeutic approaches to control the disease.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.539-545
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• 2018

4-Hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)isoindoline-1,3-dione (PD1) is a synthetic phthalimide derivative of a marine compound. PD1 has peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ${\gamma}$ agonistic and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of PD1 on allergic asthma using rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 mast cells and an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mouse model. In vitro, PD1 suppressed ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase activity in RBL-2H3 cells. In the OVA-induced allergic asthma mouse model, increased inflammatory cells and elevated Th2 and Th1 cytokine levels were observed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue. PD1 administration decreased the numbers of inflammatory cells, especially eosinophils, and reduced the mRNA and protein levels of the Th2 cytokines including interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, in BALF and lung tissue. The severity of inflammation and mucin secretion in the lungs of PD1-treated mice was also less. These findings indicate that PD1 could be a potential compound for anti-allergic therapy.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.973-979
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• 2006

Cordyceps sinensis has been clinically used for the treatment of recovering fatigue, promoting the production of body fluid and qi, resolving sputum and arresting cough. Recent studies showed that Cordyceps sinensis produced immune-modulatory, anticarcinogenic and antioxidative effects. But, there are lack of studies regarding the effects of Cordyceps sinensis on the asthma. So, this study was performed to investigate the oral administrated effects of this herb against the disease. Asthma was induced to Balb/c mouse by i.p. injection and aerosol immunization with ovalbumin, and the change of the eosinophil number in the bronchoalveolar avage fluid(BALF) was observed. Concentrations of Interleukine-4(IL-4), Interleukine-5(IL-5) in BALF and splenocyte were assessed by ELISA, ImmunoglobinG(IgG) and ImmunoglobinE(IgE) from serum were calculated by same method. We found that the effects of Cordyceps sinensis in asthma mouse was implicated in reductions of IL-4, IL-S released from type2 T helper (Th2) cell, and decreases of IgE from plasma cell. These findings suggest that Cordyceps sinensis can produce anti-asthmatic effect, which may play a role in allergen-induced asthma therapy.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.388-394
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• 2009

The cytokines which is produced by allergen-specific T helper (Th) cells play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Asthma is caused by exaggerated T-helper 2 (Th2)-based immune responses. It is suggested that controlling such Th2-based response is necessary for asthma therapy. The current therapies for asthma focus primarily on control of symptoms and suppression of inflammation, without affecting the underlying cause. So, we examined that anti-asthmatic drugs might have play a certain role in Th2/Th1 balance. Splenocytes isolated from ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice cultured with anti-asthmatic drugs. It is well known that Th2 and Th1 immune responses can balance one another, as Th2 mediators suppress Th1 responses and Th1 mediators similarly inhibit Th2 responses. But salmeterol inhibits both of Th1 and Th2 mediators, which salmeterol is a suppressor of immune responses not only a suppressor of Th2-based immune responses. Aminophylline is a weak suppressor of immune responses. But ipratropium and cromoglycate don't have any suppressor effect to Th2-driven responses. They only have suppressor effect to Th1 immune responses. Salmeterol, ipratropium, aminophylline, and cromoglycate augmented mRNA levels of CRTH2, EP2, and IP2 receptors in OVA-sensitized splenocytes. It is well known that the up-regulation of CRTH2 - $PGD_2$ receptor - results in restraint of eosinophil recruitment and that the increment of IP and EP2 - $PGI_2$ and $PGE_2$ receptor, respectively - may induce the accumulation of cAMP that decrease the effector function of T cells. Moreover salmeterol and cromoglycate increase the mRNA expression of $PGD_2$ synthase. These findings indicate that anti-asthma agents may alleviate the immunological responses that cause the asthmatic diseases.