RG-II from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer suppresses asthmatic reaction

Abstract

In asthma, T helper 2 (TH2)-type cytokines such as interleukin(IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 are produced by activated CD4+ T cells.Dendritic cells played an important role in determining thefate of naïve T cells into either TH1 or TH2 cells. Wedetermined whether RG-II regulates the TH1/TH2 immuneresponse by using an ovalbumin-induced murine model ofasthma. RG-II reduced IL-4 production but increased interferon-gamma production, and inhibited GATA-3 geneexpression. RG-II also inhibited asthmatic reactions includingan increase in the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolarlavage fluid, an increase in inflammatory cell infiltration inlung tissues, airway luminal narrowing, and airway hyperresponsiveness.This study provides evidence that RG-II plays acritical role in ameliorating the pathogenic process ofasthmatic inflammation in mice. These findings provide newinsights into the immunotherapeutic role of RG-II in terms ofits effects in a murine model of asthma. [BMB reports 2012;45(2): 79-84]

Keywords

• Asthma
• GATA-3
• Rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II)
• T helper 2 (TH2)
• T-bet