Pharmacological evaluation of Apium leptophyllum (Pers.) on bronchial asthma

OBJECTIVE The present study was to investigate the antiasthmatic potential from the flavonoid fraction of Apium leptophyllum fruit (FFALF) to validate its traditional claim. MATERIALS AND METHODS The antiasthmatic activity of FFALF was evaluated by histamine or acetylcholine-induced bronchospasm model in guinea pigs, compound 48/80 induced mast cell degranulation in albino rats and histamine-induced tracheal contraction in guinea pig. The preconvulsion dyspnea time at 0th and 7th day at the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg in guinea pig's bronchospasm model, the percentage of granulated and degranulated mast cell at the dose of 500, 750, and 1000 μg/ml in rats and tracheal contraction at the dose of 500, 750, and 1000 μg/ml in guinea pig were measured and compared with respective control groups. RESULTS The treatments of FFALF were significantly (P < 0.001) decreased the histamine/acetylcholine-induced bronchospasm, mast cell degranulation, and histamine-induced tracheal contraction as compared to inducer group. In addition, FFALF showed dose-dependent antiasthmatic activity in all the animals. CONCLUSION Hence, this study suggested that the FFALF showed antiasthmatic activity probably by membrane stabilizing property as well as suppressing antibody production and inhibiting of antigen induced by histamine and acetylcholine.