Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect and mechanism of mangiferin on the airway inflammation in BALB/c mice model of asthma. Method : Seventy-two BALB/c mice

aged 4-5 weeks

were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal control group

model control group

dexamethasone group (0.001 25 g·kg-1)

mangiferin high-dose group (0.4 g·kg-1)

mangiferin middle-dose group (0.2 g·kg-1) and mangiferin low-dose group (0.1 g·kg-1). The mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to establish a murine model of asthma.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for total and differential cell count. HE staining was used to observe airway inflammation in lung tissue. Quantification of leukotriene C4(LTC4)

prostaglandin D2(PGD2) in BALF and OVA special immunoglobulin E (OVA-sIgE) in serum were detected by ELISA. Result: The number of eosinophil(EOS) in BALF

compared with model group (6.57±1.44)%

could obviously be reduced by three mangiferin groups (1.63±0.43

2.72±0.83

4.11±1.08)% (P<0.01-P<0.05). The total number of white cells in BALF

compared with model group (83.25±10.19)×105/mL

could be cut down by mangiferin high-dose and middle-dose group (25.66±6.16

53.38±9.19) ×105/mL(P<0.01); HE staining showed that three mangiferin groups could improve

to some extent

the histological changes of lung and bronchus and reduce airway inflammation. The level of OVA-sIgE in serum

compared with the model group (0.26±0.04) ng·mL-1

could significantly be decreased by three mangiferin groups (0.10±0.04

0.12±0.02

0.18±0.03) ng·mL-1 (P<0.01). And the level of PGD2 in BALF

compared with model group (74.36±22.72) ng·mL-1

could be reduced by mangiferin high-dose group (60.30±12.19) ng·mL-1 (P<0.05). For the level of LTC4

there was a reduce tendency in every mangiferin group

but no statistical significance. Conclusion: Mangiferin

through reducing the number of EOS

decreasing the level of OVA-sIgE and PGD2 in mice

could obviously inhibit the airway inflammation in mice model of asthma

which promises to be a potential drug in the treatment of allergic asthma.