asthma

Asthma is a complex, chronic inflammatory disease of the lower airways characterized by variable airflow obstruction and airway hyper-responsiveness. Inflammation has a central role in pathophysiology of asthma. Airway inflammation involves an interaction of many cell types and multiple mediators with the airways that eventually results in the characteristic pathophysiological features of the disease. Patients typically present with intermittent symptoms of cough, wheeze, dyspnea, and/or chest discomfort. Asthma is often associated with a history of atopy, and this association in asymptomatic patient is one of the most strongest predictors of asthma.

The anti-asthmatic activity of Ficus trichopoda was studied in guinea pigs in vivo and in vitro using the isolated guinea pig trachea. 33%, 66% and 100% of the animals treated with the hydroalcoholic extract of Ficus trichopoda at doses 100mg/kg, 200mg/kg and 300mg/kg respectively, were protected from spasm of the air way caused by pulverization of 5% histamine aerosol. In vitro, the isolated guinea pig trachea contracted with histamine at 10-4 M was relaxed with the extract with an EC50 of 65.75µl/ml. The pre-incubation of the isolated trachea in the bath containing the extract at concentrations of 100µl/ml and 200µl/ml increased the EC50 of histamine from (1.10. ± 0.025) 10-6 M to (5.95±0.05) 10-6 M and (1.49±0.01) 10-5M respectively. The maximal contraction provoked by histamine, however, remained unchanged. These effects could be caused by the alkaloids and/or flavonoids present in the extract. Key words: Ficus trichopoda, asthma, guinea pig