Total particulate matter from combustion of cashew nut shell exacerbates lung injury in ova-induced asthma model

Air pollution, even at levels below that allowed by official agencies, can significantly affect the environment and health. Our hypothesis is that exposure to atmospheric pollutants, specifically total particulate matter (TPM) from the combustion of cashew nut shell (CNS), in the individuals at risk group (previous respiratory disease) may exacerbate the harmful effects to the respiratory system. Accordingly, we performed analyses of respiratory mechanics and micromechanics and histopathology and morphometry of lung parenchyma. BALB/c mice were used and divided into four groups that were subjected to the positive or negative protocol of OVA-induced asthma model, and they were exposed to 15 µg TPM from CNS combustion or saline. Our results demonstrated significant changes in all analyzed values of the OVA and OVA+TPM groups compared to the control group, and in the most of the OVA+TPM group values compared to the OVA group. We conclude that exposure to air pollutants, specifically TPM from the combustion of CNS, can exacerbate the respiratory system injury in mice with previous lung disease (OVA-induced asthma model).