Xanthii Fructus inhibits allergic response in the ovalbumin‑sensitized mouse allergic rhinitis model

Background: Xanthii Fructus (XF) is widely used in traditional anti‑bacterial and anti‑inflammatory Asian medicine. Allergic rhinitis is a common inflammatory disease characterized by markedly increased levels of anti‑inflammatory factors and the recruitment of inflammatory cells into the nasal mucosa. We investigated the effects of XF in the allergen‑induced rhinitis model. Materials and Methods: Following ovalbumin (OVA)/alum intraperitoneal injection on days 0, 7 and 14, the BALB/c mice (albino, laboratory‑bred strain of the house mice) were challenged intranasally with OVA for 10 days a week after the last sensitization. The number of sneezes was recorded for 10 days; additionally, the levels of cytokines, histamine, immunoglobulin E (IgE) and OVA‑specific serum IgE were estimated. Eosinophil infiltration, thickness of nasal mucosa and expression of caspase‑1 were determined by immunohistochemistry. We also evaluated the effect of XF on the phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa‑B (NF‑κB) and inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B‑alpha (IκB‑α) in human mast cell‑1 (HMC‑1), by Western blotting. Results: The administration of XF significantly decreased sneezing and the serum levels of histamine, IgE, OVA‑specific IgE, and cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor‑alpha (TNF‑α), interleukine‑1 beta (IL‑1β), IL‑5, IL‑6, monocyte chemoattractant protein‑1 (MCP‑1) and macrophage inflammatory protein‑2 (MIP‑2). XF inhibited the changes in thickness of the nasal septum, influx of eosinophils and expression of capase‑1. In addition, XF inhibited the phosphorylation of IκB‑α and NF‑κB in phorbol‑myristate‑acetate plus calcium ionophore A23187 (A23187) stimulated HMC‑1. Conclusion: This study suggests that XF acts a potent anti-allergic drug which alleviates the allergic responses in ovalbumin-sensitized mouse allergic rhinitis model.