The decoction of Pheretima aspergillum is used as a traditional medicine for treatment of asthma in China with a long clinical history. The aim of the study was to investigate the anti-asthma activities of an active components group obtained from the decoction of Pheretima aspergillum in histamine and ovalubumin induced asthma guinea pigs. The incubation period of asthma, serum IFN-γ, IL-4 and ...

phosphodiesterases  (pde)  hydrolyse intracellular camp  and  cgmp  to  inactive  5’ monophosphates. decreased level of camp is involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. we and others have shown that phosphodiesterases were upregulated in the lung of allergic rats, and bacilli calmette-guérin (bcg) induced the production of camp in vitro. however, it is unclear how bcg’s effect asthma and whether...

AIM To study the effect of a warm up schedule on exercise-induced asthma in asthmatic children to enable them to engage in asthmogenic activities. METHOD In the first study, peak flows during and after three short, repeated warm up schedules (SRWU 1, 2, and 3), identical in form but differing in intensity, were compared in 16 asthmatic children. In the second study the efficiency of the best ...

Occupational asthma due to the pyrolysis products of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) produced by shrink wrapping processes has previously been reported. The first case of occupational asthma in a shrink wrap worker using a different plastic, polyethylene, is reported; the association was confirmed by specific bronchial provocation testing.

It has long been recognized, even during biblical times, that physical exercise may induce asthma symptoms in susceptible individuals. Nevertheless, the term exerciseinduced asthma (EIA) only became popular in the 1960s and 1970s when several reports addressed the pattern of airway response to exercise and the influence of drugs on EIA, particularly in children. Subsequently, reports of studies...

Background: CD163-expressing macrophages are involved in the inflammatory response in asthma. Objective: To assess sputum and serum soluble CD163 (sCD163) and cytokine levels in patients with asthma. Further discussed was the difference between sCD163 and other classic inflammatory mediators. Methods: Sputum was successfully induced in asthma patients (n=85) and healthy controls (n=21). Interle...

All asthmatics have exercise-induced asthma (EIA). In periods where the asthma spontaneously deteriorate, there will be more exercise-induced asthma. About 3/4 of the asthmatics will have a positive exercise test on the first challenge. Exercise is not the best test to obtain the diagnosis of asthma, as other tests, e.g. inhalation of histamine, is more sensitive and specific. The best pretreat...

It is well documented that exercise-induced asthma is more pronounced when inspired air is cold and dry rather than warm and humid.' 2 The severity of exercise-induced asthma is closely dependent on loss of respiratory heat, needed to warm and humidify inspired air,3 and it has been suggested that airway cooling is the only stimulus triggering postexercise bronchoconstriction.3-7 We present a c...

Occupational asthma (OA) can be defined as variable airways narrowing causally related to exposure in the working environment to airborne dusts, gases, vapours or fumes. There are many agents in the work-place that can induce asthma or cause substantial deterioration in pre-existing asthma. It has been estimated that 5-15% of adult-onset asthma can be attributed to occupational exposures. Hence...