Effect of KOB03, a polyherbal medicine, on ovalbumin-induced allergic rhinitis in guinea pigs

Hartley guinea pigs were sensitized to OVA by intraperitoneal injection on days 0, 7, and 14 and challenged with intranasal exposure to OVA three times for 7 days after the last sensitization. KOB03 at doses of 200 and 500 mg/kg were orally administrated to guinea pigs once daily during challenge. The serum levels of histamine, OVA-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-4 and IFN-γ) in OVA sensitization/challenge-induced AR guinea pigs were measured. We also observed histological changes in nasal tissues of AR guinea pigs by staining with H&E, Periodic acid-Schiff, and toluidine blue.The administration of KOB03 at a dose of 500 mg/kg significantly decreased the serum levels of histamine (P？=？0.001), OVA-specific IgE (P？=？0.0017), ECP (P？=？0.008), and TNF-α (P？=？0.0003) in OVA-sensitized/challenged guinea pigs compared with controls. KOB03 significantly decreased the serum levels of a Th2 cytokine, IL-4 (P？=？0.017), while significantly increasing the levels of a Th1 cytokine, IFN-γ (P？=？0.0006) in OVA-sensitized/challenged guinea pigs compared with controls. In addition, KOB03 suppressed the epithelial destruction, goblet cell hyperplasia and eosinophilic infiltration into nasal mucosa associated with AR.KOB03 may regulate allergic inflammation in AR by inhibiting nasal damage, the release of allergic mediators and modulating the balance of Th1/Th2 cytokines.Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an immunoglobulin (Ig) E-mediated inflammatory disease caused by the inflammation of airway mucosa with hypersensitivity resulting from seasonal or perennial responses to specific allergens. It is characterized by a local influx of eosinophils with clinical symptoms including nasal rubbing, sneezing, rhinorrhea, lacrimation, nasal congestion and obstruction [1,2]. AR also triggers systemic inflammation and is associated with various co-morbid conditions such as asthma, nasal polyposis, rhinosinusitis, serous otitis media and sleep disor