ABSTRACT
Marzotto et al. showed that homeopathic preparations of Arnica montana L. acted directly on gene expression of Tamm-Horsfall protein-1 (THP-1) monocyte/macrophage cell lines activated with phorbol12-myristate13-acetate and interleukin-4 (IL-4). A. montana homeopathic dilutions are used in complementary and alternative medicine to treat inflammation disorders and post-traumatic events as well as for wound repair. The French Pharmacopoeia of these remedies uses 0.3% ethanol in each centesimal dilution. In this paper, we discuss how ethanol-containing A. montana homeopathic centesimal dilutions can change gene expression in IL-4-treated monocyte/macrophage THP-1. We assessed the role of ethanol in the Arnica homeopathic dilutions containing this alcohol by investigating its action on gene expression of THP-1 cell. Evidence would strongly suggest that the presence of ethanol in these remedies might play a fundamental role in the dilutions ability to affect gene expression, particularly for doses from 5c to 15c. Where, rather than playing a major role in the mesoscopic structure of water, the ethanol might have a chemical-physical role in the induction of THP-1 gene expression, apoptosis, and deoxyribonucleic acid function. This evidence generates a debate about the suggestion that the use of a binary-mixed solvent in homeopathic chemistry, used by Hahnemann since 1810, may be fundamental to explain the activity of homeopathy on cell models.
ABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Humans , Basophils/cytology , Flow Cytometry , HLA-DR Antigens/metabolism , Interleukin-3 Receptor alpha Subunit/metabolism , Leukocyte Count , Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases/metabolism , Pyrophosphatases/metabolism , Receptors, CCR3/metabolism , Urticaria/diagnosisABSTRACT
Apis mellifera L. bee venom is the most studied hymenoptera allergen, but many aspects of its action on human basophils remain unclear. Allergologists seek evidence of the effectiveness of bee venom immunotherapy as this approach is the chosen treatment for systemic allergic reactions. The effect of bee venom on human basophils in vitro has not been studied in detail for many reasons, including the paucity of basophils in peripheral blood, inter-individual basophil response variability, and the reliability and predictability of basophil activation tests. We conducted a brief preliminary survey of the effect of Apis bee venom on healthy asymptomatic (non-allergic) subjects. A dose of an aqueous commercial extract of Apis bee venom as high as 10 microg/mL activated resting basophils (CD63=+80-90%, CD203c=+30%), while it inhibited the expression of CD63 (-50%) following basophil stimulation by the soluble agonists formyl-Met-Leu-Phe or anti-IgE. The activation of resting basophils appeared to be dose-related. Only when basophils were activated with an IgE-mediated agonist, did bee venom extract exhibit a possible priming mechanism at the lowest doses used only via CD63, while it was ineffective via CD203c. Autocrine interleukin-3 may play a role in the observed biphasic behavior.
Subject(s)
Humans , Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic , Basophils , Bee Venoms , Bees , Blood Donors , Flow Cytometry , Honey , Hymenoptera , Hypersensitivity , Immunotherapy , Interleukin-3ABSTRACT
Flavonoids polyphenolic compounds that exert many anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects, and exhibit an anti-allergic action. Quercetin is a flavonoids that recently has raised many issues and shown evidence about its action as a potential drug to allergy. A Chinese herbal formula, known as Food Allergy Herbal Formula [FAHF] has been related with blocking of anaphylaxis to peanuts [PNA] in mouse models. Quercetin appears to possess the same potential of FAHF as a safe anti-allergic substance but it opens only a wide perspective, at the moment, due to several complex issues that hamper the possibility to use natural medicine and phytochemicals as true drugs