Wet Cupping Therapy Ameliorates the Inflammatory Responses in Mice Model of Allergic Asthma: An Experimental Histopathological Study

Abstract

As an inflammatory disease of the lung, asthma is characterized by bronchoconstriction, mucus hypersecretion, inflammatory mediator release, and eosinophil recruitment. Cupping therapy is an ancient method of treatment for a vast range of ailments. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-asthmatic effects of wet cupping therapy (WCT) in a mouse model. A total number of 35 Balb/c mice were randomly divided into five groups (n = 7): Negative and positive control groups were administered Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) and ovalbumin (OVA), respectively. The remaining three OVA-challenged groups were treated with budesonide, one session, and two sessions of WCT. Finally, eosinophil counts, the gene expressions, and the protein levels of interleukins IL-5, -13, and -33 were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice. Lung tissues were removed and kept for histopathological evaluations. Both eosinophil counts and interleukin levels in BALFs were significantly diminished following WCT. Moreover, WCT prevented hyperplastic growth of goblet cells, overproduction of mucus, and inflammation of peribronchial and perivascular areas of lung tissue of mice compared to positive control group. Interestingly, the anti-inflammatory effects of WCT against asthma were comparable to budesonide. Our data suggested that the anti-asthmatic effects of WCT were mediated by reducing eosinophil trafficking and modulating Th2 inflammatory cytokines, leading to the histological changes of the lung. This may propose WCT as an efficient therapeutic approach to mitigate inflammatory complications of asthma.