Protective role of lycopene in experımental allergic rhinitis in rats

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Abstract

Objective

We investigate whether lycopene has a protective effect in an experimental rat model of allergic rhinitis.

Methods

Experimental animals (65 rats) were randomized to 7 groups (Sham-Control, Lycopene 10 mg/kg/day, Lycopene 20 mg/kg/day, Intranasal lycopene drops, Intranasal steroid, Corn oil, Allergic Rhinitis). Rats were sensitized by administering of ovalbumin intraperitoneally and intranasally. In addition to ovalbumin; lycopene, corn oil and steroids were given to the relevant groups. Nasal symptom scores of the rats were recorded throughout the study. At end of the study, after intracardiac blood sample collection, all rats were sacrificed, and nasal tissues were examined histopathologically. Serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and ovalbumin (OVA) specific IgE were studied from all rats before and after the study.

Results

There was a statistically significant increase (p < 0.05) in OVA specific IgE values measured before and after the study in all groups except the sham group. In serum total IgE values; there was a statistically significant increase after treatment in allergic rhinitis, corn oil, lycopene 10 mg and intranasal lycopene drops group, but other groups did not show any significant change. Histopathological study with hematoxylin-eosin staining and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) expression found that lycopene suppresses inflammation with both nasal administration and increased dose. Nasal symptom scores were observed to decrease significantly in all lycopene and steroid groups compared to allergic rihinits and corn groups.

Conclusion

It was determined that lycopene were effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, and this effect was found to be stronger with increasing doses of lycopene.

Section snippets

Funding

This study was supported by Kayseri Training and Research Hospital Education Planning and Coordination Board with the decision number 52332816/831040. The study was conducted in Erciyes UniversityErciyes University Experimental Research Application and Research Center (ERARC) with the approval of Erciyes University Animal Experiments Local Ethics Committee (decision no 15/69).

Study plan

This study was supported by Kayseri Training and Research Hospital Education Planning and Coordination Board with the decision number 52332816/8310–40. The study was conducted in Erciyes University Experimental Research Application and Research Center (ERARC) with the approval of Erciyes University Animal Experiments Local Ethics Committee (decision no 15/69), 20–22 week old, 200–250g weight, 65 healthy female rats were included in the study. Rats were obtained from Erciyes University Medical

Physical exam findings

According to nasal symptom scores, ıt was observed that allergic rhinitis developed in rats only in AR and corn oil groups. In the examination findings appeared in the lycopene and steroid groups at varying levels of mild/moderate severity, but there were no groups with a total score of 5 and above. In the sham group, no symptoms were observed during the study.

Serology results

At the beginning of the study, there was no statistically significant difference between serum total IgE and specific OVA-IgE values

Discussion

Although allergic rhinitis is not a life-threatening condition, it is becoming increasingly important with its ability to impair quality of life and accompanying comorbid conditions [3,4]. The fact that the current treatment methods being inadequate, long and expensive; has led to the search for new treatment in allergic rhinitis.

In the literature, in order to develop a pattern of allergic rhinitis similar to humans in animals, systemic and intranasal ovalbumin was administered together with

Conclusion

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the role of systemic and intranasal lycopene in OVA induced allergic rhinitis rat model. It was determined that lycopene were effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, and this effect was found to be stronger with increasing doses of lycopene. With this study, the importance of consuming lycopene containing foods in our daily lives was emphasized once more by showing the anti-allergic effects of lycopene. We think that our current study shows

Funding

This study was funded by X.

Ethical approval

All applicable international, national and/or institutional guidelines for care and use of animals were followed.

Declaration of competing interest

No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

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