Hesperidin-3′-O-Methylether Is More Potent than Hesperidin in Phosphodiesterase Inhibition and Suppression of Ovalbumin-Induced Airway Hyperresponsiveness

Hesperidin is present in the traditional Chinese medicine, “Chen Pi,” and recently was reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, we were interested in comparing the effects of hesperidin and hesperidin-3′-O-methylether on phosphodiesterase inhibition and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in a murine model of asthma. In the present results, hesperidin-3′-O-methylether, but not hesperidin, at 30 μmol/kg (p.o.) significantly attenuated the enhanced pause (P (enh)) value, suppressed the increases in numbers of total inflammatory cells, macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils, suppressed total and OVA-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E levels in the serum and BALF, and enhanced the level of total IgG(2a) in the serum of sensitized and challenged mice, suggesting that hesperidin-3′-O-methylether is more potent than hesperidin in suppression of AHR and immunoregulation. The different potency between them may be due to their aglycons, because these two flavanone glycosides should be hydrolyzed by β-glucosidase after oral administration. Neither influenced xylazine/ketamine-induced anesthesia, suggesting that they may have few or no adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and gastric hypersecretion. In conclusion, hesperidin-3′-O-methylether is more potent in phosphodiesterase inhibition and suppression of AHR and has higher therapeutic (PDE4(H)/PDE4(L)) ratio than hesperidin. Thus, hesperidin-3′-O-methylether may have more potential for use in treating allergic asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.