Physalis peruviana L. inhibits ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation by attenuating the activation of NF-κB and inflammatory molecules

Physalis peruviana L. (PP) is well known for its various properties, including its antioxidant property. In our previous study, the protective effects of PP against cigarette smoke-induced airway inflammation were confirmed. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of PP against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced airway inflammation. Treatment with PP inhibited the numbers of eosinophils and the levels of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13, in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of animal models with OVA-induced allergic asthma. PP also significantly decreased the production of total immunoglobulin E in the serum. Lung sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin revealed that the influx of inflammatory cells was decreased in the lungs of mice treated with PP compared with cells in the OVA group. The increased expression levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and T cell marker KEN-5 were also reduced following PP treatment in the lung tissues compared with those in the OVA group. The PAS staining results showed that PP attenuated the overproduction of mucus in the lung. Additionally, western blot analysis revealed that PP significantly downregulated the activation of nuclear factor-κB/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and upregulated the expression of heme oxgenase-1 in the lungs. In an in vitro experiment, PP effectively reduced the levels of LPS-stimulated MCP-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, these results indicate that PP has considerable potential in the treatment of allergic asthma.