AUTHOR=Caputo Ludmila de Souza , Alves Carolina de Lima , Laranjeira Inês Martins , Fonseca-Rodrigues Diana , da Silva Filho Ademar Alves , Dias Alberto Carlos Pires , Pinto-Ribeiro Filipa , Pereira Junior Olavo dos Santos , de Paula Ana Claudia Chagas , Nagato Akinori Cardozo , Corrêa José Otávio do Amaral
TITLE=Copaiba oil minimizes inflammation and promotes parenchyma re-epithelization in acute allergic asthma model induced by ovalbumin in BALB/c mice
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology
VOLUME=15
YEAR=2024
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1356598
DOI=10.3389/fphar.2024.1356598
ISSN=1663-9812
ABSTRACT=Introduction: Asthma is a condition of airflow limitation, common throughout the world, with high mortality rates, especially as it still faces some obstacles in its management. As it constitutes a public health challenge, this study aimed to investigate the effect of copaiba oil (e.g., Copaifera langsdorffii), as a treatment resource, at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg on certain mediators of acute lung inflammation (IL-33, GATA3, FOXP3, STAT3, and TBET) and early mechanisms of lung remodeling (degradation of elastic fiber tissues, collagen deposition, and goblet cell hyperplasia).
Methods: Using an ovalbumin-induced acute allergic asthma model in BALB/c mice, we analyzed the inflammatory mediators through immunohistochemistry and the mechanisms of lung remodeling through histopathology, employing orcein, Masson’s trichrome, and periodic acid-Schiff staining.
Results: Copaiba oil treatment (CO) reduced IL-33 and increased FOXP3 by stimulating the FOXP3/GATA3 and FOXP3/STAT3 pathways. Additionally, it upregulated TBET, suggesting an additional role in controlling GATA3 activity. In the respiratory epithelium, CO decreased the fragmentation of elastic fibers while increasing the deposition of collagen fibers, favoring epithelial restructuring. Simultaneously, CO reduced goblet cell hyperplasia.
Discussion: Although additional research is warranted, the demonstrated anti-inflammatory and re-epithelializing action makes CO a viable option in exploring new treatments for acute allergic asthma.