Modulation of NF-κB/Nrf2 signaling by nobiletin mitigates airway inflammation and oxidative stress in PM2.5-exposed asthmatic mice

Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a significant risk factor for asthma, promoting airway inflammation and oxidative stress. This study evaluates Nobiletin's (NOB) efficacy in mitigating airway inflammation and oxidative lung damage in asthma-induced mice exposed to PM2.5. Using an ovalbumin (OVA) plus PM2.5-induced asthma model in BALB/c mice, we investigated the therapeutic impacts of NOB compared to dexamethasone (DEX). NOB significantly moderated lung index values and inflammatory markers without affecting body weight. Notably, NOB enhanced Nrf2 expression and decreased NF-κB-p65, IKK, and Keap-1 levels, aligning with reductions in malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) while increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. These findings suggest that NOB can effectively reduce airway inflammation and oxidative lung damage by modulating the NF-κB/Nrf2 signaling pathways.