Unveiling the Potent Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Silymarin in a Mouse Model of Allergic Asthma

Allergic asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterizedby airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness. Silymarin is anatural compound recognized for its potential anti-inflammatory propertiesin various conditions, including asthma. In this study, we investigatedthe anti-inflammatory effects of silymarin on a mouse model of allergicasthma. Thirty-five mice were categorized into five groups (n = 7 per group). The normal controlgroup received phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), while the remainingfour groups were induced with allergic asthma using ovalbumin (OVA).One sensitized group was treated with PBS (Asthma/Baseline), anotherreceived beclomethasone, and two groups were administered silymarin(25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Subsequently, we quantifiedthe changes in inflammatory cell influx in bronchoalveolar lavagefluid (BALF) and the levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4(IL-4) in BALF and blood. Histopathological alterations of leukocyteswere examined in the lung tissues of all animals. The results showedthat silymarin reduced inflammatory cells, including eosinophilsand lymphocytes, in the BALF. Additionally, the silymarin-treatedgroups exhibited decreased IL-4 levels and increased IFN-γ levelsin the blood, surpassing the effects of beclomethasone. Furthermore,histopathological analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in leukocyteinfiltration following silymarin treatment. Our findings demonstratethe anti-inflammatory effects of silymarin in allergic asthma, likelythrough the modulation of inflammatory cells.