Pathological changes in the lung and adrenal medulla of each group.

Representative micrographs (H&E staining, 100×) of lungs from control rats (A), s-control rats (B), asthmatic rats (C), and s-asthmatic rats (D) were shown. Representative micrographs (H&E staining, 100×) of adrenal medulla in control rats (E), s-control rats (F), asthmatic rats (G), and s-asthmatic rats (H) were shown. Representative electron micrographs (15000×) of adrenal medulla in the control rats (I), s-control rats (J), the asthmatic rats (K), and the s-asthmatic rats (L) were presented. Arrows indicate vacuolar degeneration (black), chromaffin granules (red), mitochondria (blue), and the sign of defluxion in chromaffin granules (green). The bar graphs demonstrate the quantitative analysis of the airway wall thickness (M) and the densities of chromaffin granules (N). The values were presented as ±s (n = 8). * indicates significant difference as compared with the control group (P# indicates significant difference between the s-asthma and the asthma groups (P