Assessment of Coagulansin-A's therapeutic potential and safety in an ovalbumin (OVA) induced airway inflammation model.

Asthma is a widespread chronic airway disease affecting hundreds of millions globally, with symptoms and severity influenced by environmental triggers and lifestyle factors. The fruit and leaf extracts of Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal, although have long been used in South Asian and Middle Eastern traditional medicine to treat respiratory disorders, including cough, bronchitis, inflammation, and asthma-like symptoms, the mechanisms underlying its anti-allergic effects remain unclear. In this study, the safety and anti-asthmatic potential of a withanolide isolated from W. coagulans called Coagulansin-A (Coag-A) (0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) was compared with dexamethasone (Dexa; 5 mg/kg, i.p.) in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mouse model. The male BALB/c mice were sensitized with OVA and alum. Treatment groups received Coag-A after a nebulization challenge, while the positive control received Dexa. Various parameters were assessed, including body and organ weights, haematological and serum biochemical parameters, oxidative stress markers (glutathione S-transferase, catalase, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide), and histopathological examination of liver and kidney tissues. Coag-A improved airway inflammation, antioxidant status, and physiological parameters, while preserving liver and kidney structure. In contrast, Dexa showed signs of hepato- and nephrotoxicity, including oxidative stress and tissue damage. Coag-A demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy and safety compared to Dexa, supporting its potential as a novel anti-asthmatic agent.