Anti-Asthmatic Effects of Perilla Seed Oil in the Guinea Pig in vitro and in vivo

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-asthmatic effects of Perilla seed oil in vitro and in vivo in sensitized guinea pigs. Aerosolized antigen caused an immediate bronchoconstriction. Perilla seed oil per os inhibited the increase in lung resistance and the decrease in dynamic lung compliance in a dose-dependent manner with an ED50 (95 % confidence interval, CI) of 1.10 (0.98 - 1.24) g/kg and 1.07 (0.94 - 1.22) g/kg, respectively. Infiltration of leukocytes, mononuclear cells, eosinophils and neutrophils induced by inhaling antigen was also inhibited by Perilla seed oil in a dose-dependent manner with an ED50 (95 % CI) of 1.00 (0.86 - 1.15), 1.24 (1.10 - 1.38), 0.63 (0.51 - 0.77) and 0.61 (0.38 - 0.98) g/kg, respectively. Perilla seed oil (5 - 500 μg/mL) inhibited the slow reaction substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) release induced by antigen challenge in lung tissue of sensitized guinea pigs. It also inhibited calcium ionophore (A23187)-induced leukotriene (LT) D4 release from the lung tissue of non-sensitized guinea pigs in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 (95 % CI) of 50 (36 - 69) μg/mL. These results indicate that Perilla seed oil may improve lung function in asthma by controlling eicosanoid production and suppressing LT generation.