Tanshinone IIA alleviates ovalbumin-induced allergic rhinitis symptoms by inhibiting Th2 cytokine production and mast cell histamine release in mice

CONTEXT: Studies have shown that tanshinone IIA (TIIA) has an anti-inflammatory effect, but the effect on allergic rhinitis (AR) is unclear. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we explore the effect of TIIA on AR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AR mice model was established by the intraperitoneal (ip) injection of 50 μg ovalbumin (OVA). AR mice in the dose tested groups were treated with TIIA (10 mg/kg/d, ip) or dexamethasone (Dex) (2.5 mg/kg/d, oral). The number of nasal rubbing in mice was counted. Inflammatory, goblet and mast cells in nasal mucosal tissue were detected. The contents of histamine, OVA-immunoglobulin E (IgE), OVA-immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and IL-12 in nasal lavage fluid (NALF) or serum were measured. Human mast cells (HMC-1) were treated with C48/80 to release histamine or TIIA for therapeutic effect, and the cell viability, histamine content and mast cell degranulation were examined. RESULTS: OVA promoted the number of nasal rubbings in mice (78 times/10 min, p< 0.001), increased the inflammatory, goblet and mast cells in nasal mucosal tissue, and significantly (p< 0.001) elevated the levels of histamine (120 ng/mL), OVA-IgE (2 pg/mL), OVA-IgG1 (90 ng/mL), TNF-α (2.3 pg/mL), IL-4 (150 pg/mL) and IL-5 (65 pg/mL) in serum or NALF of OVA-induced AR mice. However, both TIIA and Dex inhibited the effect of OVA on AR mice. Besides, TIIA reversed the promotion of histamine release (30%) and mast cell degranulation induced by C48/80. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: TIIA alleviates OVA-induced AR symptoms in AR mice, and may be applied as a therapeutic drug for patients with Th2-, or mast cell-allergic disorders.