Bisdemethoxycurcumin attenuates OVA-induced food allergy by inhibiting the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways

Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) is an important ingredient derived from turmeric in addition to curcumin. It has been reported that BDMC can be used to treat mast cell-mediated allergic diseases. In the present study, a food allergy (FA) murine model sensitized by intraperitoneal injection followed by oral challenge with ovalbumin (OVA) was established. BDMC was orally administered at 100 and 200 mg/kg for 11 days in the challenge phase to treat OVA-induced FA mice. FA symptoms such as diarrhea score, anaphylactic symptom score and rectal temperature were recorded. Intestinal tissue was also observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. In addition, other allergic indicators were also analyzed by ELISA and western blot analysis. The present study demonstrated that BDMC could suppress the decreases in rectal temperature, diarrhea and anaphylactic symptoms in FA mice. BDMC could also ameliorate the inflammation of intestinal tissues in FA mice. BDMC not only decreased the production of OVA-specific immunoglobulin (OVA-sIg)E, IgG1, histamine, mouse mast cell protease-1, diamine oxidase, cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13) but increased cytokines interferon-γ production. The protein expression results showed that the levels of Gata-3 were decreased but T-bet levels were increased. Furthermore, compared with the OVA group, phosphorylated (p)-p38, p-JNK, p-ERK and p-NF-κBp65 levels were decreased and p-IκBα level was increased. In conclusion, the results showed that BDMC possessed a protective effect on FA. Furthermore, BDMC was able to regulate the T-helper cells (Th)1/Th2 immune balance and inhibit the activation of MAPK and NF-κB pathways in FA mice.