Background and Aims
Orophar
yngeal candidiasis (OPC) is one o
f the most common local side e
ffects o
f current therap
y in chronic asthma. New therapeutic options with
fewer side e
ffects and reverse chronic changes are needed. Curcumin, as a promising antiin
flammator
y and anti
fungal agent, could be a candidate o
f alternative therap
y in asthma. This stud
y aimed to determine the e
fficac
y o
f orall
y administrated curcumin on lung histopatholog
y, serum nitric oxide levels and
fungal burden in a murine model o
f asthma and OPC.
Methods
Thirty five BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: I, II, III, IV (placebo) and V (control). All groups except the control were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin. OPC model was established after the model of chronic asthma. Lung histology, serum nitric oxide levels and fungal burden were evaluated after 5 days of treatment with curcumin, dexamethasone, curcumin-dexamethasone combination and placebo. Evaluation of lung histology included subepithelial smooth muscle and epithelial thickness and number of goblet and mast cells by using light microscopy.
Results
All histological parameters improved in curcumin group similar to dexamethasone group. Curcumin and dexamethasone-curcumin combination were also as effective as dexamethasone on decreasing nitric oxide levels. Oral fungal burden was significantly lower in curcumin-treated group than dexamethasone.
Conclusions
In our study we demonstrated that curcumin administration alleviates the pathological changes in asthma and decreases the fungal burden. Curcumin may have a potential effect on treating chronic asthma and decreasing the frequency of the OPC.
