S-Petasin, the main sesquiterpene of petasites formosanus, inhibits phosphodiesterase activity and suppresses ovalbumin-induced airway hyperresponsiveness

Wun-Chang Ko, Chung Hung Shih, Tzu Jung Huang, Chien-Ming Chen, Yun Lian Lin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

S-Petasin is the main sesquiterpene of Petasites formosanus, a traditional folk medicine used to treat hypertension, tumors and asthma in Taiwan. The aim of the present study was to investigate its inhibitory effects on phosphodiesterase (PDE) 1-5, and on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in a murine model of allergic asthma. S-Petasin concentration-dependently inhibited PDE3 and PDE4 activities with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 25.5, and 17.5μM, respectively. According to the Lineweaver-Burk analysis, S-petasin competitively inhibited PDE3 and PDE4 activities with respective dissociation constants for inhibitor binding (Ki) of 25.3 and 18.1μM, respectively. Both IC50 and Ki values for PDE3 were significantly greater than those for PDE4. S-Petasin (10-30μmol/kg, administered subcutaneously (s.c.)) dose-dependently and significantly attenuated the enhanced pause (Penh) value induced by methacholine (MCh) in sensitized and challenged mice. It also significantly suppressed the increases in total inflammatory cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils and levels of cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4 and IL-5, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of these mice. In addition, S-petasin (10-30μmol/kg, s.c.) dose-dependently and significantly attenuated total and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in the serum and BALF, and enhanced the IgG2a level in serum of these mice. The PDE4H value of S-petasin was >300μM; therefore, its PDE4H/PDE4L value was calculated to be >17. In conclusion, the present results for S-petasin at least partially explain why Petasites formosanus is used as a folk medicine to treat asthma in Taiwan.

Original languageEnglish
Article number132374
JournalEvidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Volume2011
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Complementary and alternative medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'S-Petasin, the main sesquiterpene of petasites formosanus, inhibits phosphodiesterase activity and suppresses ovalbumin-induced airway hyperresponsiveness'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this