TNF and asthma: The researchers discovered that animals receiving a daily oral administration of COS (16 mg/kg body weight/day) had a significant reduction in the mRNA expression and protein levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and TNF-α in their lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF); protein levels of IL-4, IL-13, and TNF-α in BALF were decreased by 5.8-fold, 3.0-fold, and 9.9-fold, respectively, in comparison with the OVA-sensitized/challenged asthma control group.