Investigating the Effect of Withania somnifera, Selenium and Hydrocortisone on Blood Count and Bronchial Lavage of Experimental Asthmatic BALB/c Mice

Abstract

The murine asthmatic Balb/c mouse model was used to investigate the effect of W. somnifera L., the  antioxidant selenium, W. somnifera and selenium in combination and hydrocortisone as positive control  on the number of white blood cells in blood smears and bronchial lavage smears as well as the platelet  distribution of asthmatic Balb/c mice. The mice were sensitised, nebulized and treated over a period of  43 days and blood smears were made of each individual animal and bronchial lavage was performed by  injecting 0.3ml of saline into the trachea of the mice, both on the day of termination. Light microscopy  analysis of the bronchial lavage revealed a significant decrease in the number of eosinophils counted in the  asthmatic and the different treatment groups. In the asthmatic group, numerous platelet clumps were found  distributed between white blood cells. Platelets were also found in the other treatment groups but are not  as prevalent as in the asthmatic group. Results from the blood smears showed the same trends, where cell  counts in control and hydrocortisone blood smears were decreased compared to that of the asthma group. It  is concluded that W. somnifera and W. somnifera combined with selenium significantly decreased the white  blood cells in both bronchial lavage as well as blood smears, suggesting that W. somnifera indeed has an  anti-inflammatory potential and it, in combination with an anti-oxidant like selenium, might successfully  be used in the treatment of asthma.