Cassia Angustifolia; A Potential Anti-Inflammatory Agent in Allergic Asthma in Rats

Abstract

Objective: To identify anti-inflammatory effects of Cassia angustifolia in allergic airway disease in comparison to emodin and dexamethasone.

Methodology: This experimental study was conducted at animal house of Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, from February 2022 to March 2022 in which 42 male Sprague dawley rats were divided into 7 groups having 6 rats in each group. Group I (Normal control group), Group II (Diseased control group), Group III (Dexamethasone Control group), Group IV (Emodin Control group), Group V, VI, and VII were low, medium and high dose of Cassia angustifolia leaf ethanolic extract treated groups. Asthma was induced in all rats except the rats of normal control group at the start of the study by sensitizing rats with intraperitoneal injection of Ovalbumin on day 0 and 14. They were challenged with nebulization of 1% w/v ovalbumin solution on days 22, 23 and 24. Respective drugs were given from day 15 to 24 as twice oral daily doses. Blood samples were taken at day 25 via cardiac puncture. TLC, eosinophil count, IgE antibodies and IL-13 were measured using commercially available kits.

Results: High-dose Cassia angustifolia demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory effects comparable to emodin and dexamethasone, effectively reducing TLC, eosinophil count, IgE levels, and IL-13 levels. Low and medium doses of Cassia angustifolia showed weaker anti-inflammatory effects, not significantly reducing TLC or eosinophil counts compared to the disease control group. All treatment groups exhibited significantly lower IgE and IL-13 levels than the disease control, indicating the anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory potential of Cassia angustifolia.

Conclusion: Cassia angustifolia, particularly at high doses, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects similar to standard treatments like emodin and dexamethasone, suggesting its potential as an alternative therapy for allergic asthma. However, it does not surpass the efficacy of dexamethasone in controlling specific inflammatory pathways. Further studies are warranted to explore its therapeutic application in asthma management.