Anti-allergy Effect of Gouminjian and Its Components / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Guominjian is a prescription created by famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctor ZHU Zhan-yu. The prescription is composed of four TCM:Saposhnikoviae Radix, Mume Fructus, Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus and Stellariae Radix, which are commonly used in clinical practice for allergic skin diseases, such as urticaria, atopic dermatitis and eczema. Although the medicinal composition is simple, the curative effect is remarkable, and the total effective rate of treatment in clinic is as high as 90%. Guominjian has the effects on phlegm and blood stasis, and can relieve itching and reduce capillary permeability by antagonizing histamine, reducing serum immune globulin (Ig) E, inhibiting mast cell degranulation and changing the differentiation of CD4+ T cell subsets, with anti-allergy effect at multi-target, multi-path, multi-levels. Domestic and foreign scholars have screened out the chemical constituents of single herbs in Guominjian, and found anti-allergic active ingredients, such as α-cubebenoate, cimicin, schisandrin, and saposhnikovia divaricata polysaccharide, and the mechanisms are different. However, the effects of TCM compounds are not equal to the simple combination of single herbs, and it is not possible to measure the efficacy of an active ingredient in a single herb. The anti-allergic chemical composition in Guominjian should be comprehensively analyzed to study the anti-allergy effect of Guominjian in an all-round way. However, the current research on Guominjian is only limited to the pharmacodynamics, but there is still lack systematic, comprehensive and holistic understanding of anti-allergic active components in Guominjian, which limits the secondary development and the establishment of standards of Guominjian. Therefore, the authors systematically collect and summarize the anti-allergic modern research results of Guominjian and its components by searching domestic and foreign literatures, in order to further define the research and new mechanism of anti-allergic chemical components and mechanism of Guominjian, and provide reference for the development of anti-allergic new drugs.

Neolignan Derivatives from the Flower of Magnolia biondii Pamp. and their Effects on IL-2 expression in T-cells

The isolation of the MeOH extract from the flower bud of Magnolia biondii Pamp. using various column chromatographies and HPLC led to eleven neoglignan derivatives (1 - 11). Their structures were mainly determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectral data analysis and physiological methods. The isolated compounds (1 - 11) were tested for anti-allergic effects using IL-2 inhibitory assay in Jurkat T cells.

Research Progress of Anti-allergy Natural Products / 中国药学杂志

Based on overseas and domestic data bank mainly as Scifinder, ACS publication, CNKI, and CQVIP. The relationships between the types of natural products and their anti-allergic activities have been summarized. The advances of anti-allergic natural products over the past ten years have been reviewed. The pathogenesis of allergic diseases and the diversity of anti-allergy components and natural products were summarized, together with their origins and mechanisms of anti-allergy activities. Many natural products show multiple anti-allergy targets and few side effects, while the research is still far from enough. Several suggestions were proposed for further research on anti-allergy natural medicines on the basis of our review.

Anti-Allergic Effect of Oroxylin A from Oroxylum indicum Using in vivo and in vitro Experiments

Oroxylum indicum has long been used in Asian traditional medicine to prevent and treat respiratory diseases, diabetes, diarrhea and other conditions. Oroxylin A is a flavone that is present in Oroxylum indicum and in Scutellaria baicalensis. Because the root extracts of both plants have been shown to have anti-allergic effects, the authors investigated whether oroxylin A is likely to have beneficial effects on allergic asthma using female Balb/c mice and rat RBL-2H3 mast cells. Antigen-induced degranulation was measured in vitro by measuring β-hexosaminidase activity. A murine ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma model was used to test the in vivo efficacy of oroxylin A. Sensitization and challenge of ovalbumin induced allergic asthma responses, the accumulations of eosinophils and Th2 cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissues. Oroxylin A administration decreased numbers of inflammatory cells, especially eosinophils, and reduced the expression and secretion of Th2 cytokines, including IL-4 and IL-13, in lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Histologic studies showed oroxylin A reduced inflammatory signs and mucin production in lungs. These findings provide evidence that oroxylin A has potential use as an anti-allergic therapeutic.

Therapeutic Effects of S-Petasin on Disease Models of Asthma and Peritonitis

To explore the anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects of extracts of Petasites genus, we studied the effects of s-petasin, a major sesquiterpene from Petasites formosanus (a butterbur species) on asthma and peritonitis models. In an ovalbumin-induced mouse asthma model, s-petasin significantly inhibited the accumulations of eosinophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar fluids. S-petasin inhibited the antigen-induced degranulation of beta-hexosamidase but did not inhibit intracellular Ca2+ increase in RBL-2H3 mast cells. S-petasin inhibited the LPS induction of iNOS at the RNA and protein levels in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Furthermore, s-petasin inhibited the production of NO (the product of iNOS) in a concentration-dependent manner in the macrophages. Furthermore, in an LPS-induced mouse model of peritonitis, s-petasin significantly inhibited the accumulation of polymorpho nuclear and mononuclear leukocytes in peritoneal cavity. This study shows that s-petasin in Petasites genus has therapeutic effects on allergic and inflammatory diseases, such as, asthma and peritonitis through degranulation inhibition in mast cells, suppression of iNOS induction and production of NO in macrophages, and suppression of inflammatory cell accumulation.

Chemical constituents in herbs of Bryophyllum pinnatum / 中草药

Objective: To isolate and identify the chemical constituents from the herbs of Bryophyllum pinnatum. Methods: The compounds were isolated by chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 columns and preparative TLC. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated based on spectroscopic data and chemical properties. The anti-allergic activities of the compounds were evaluated by RBL-2H3 cells. Results: Six compounds were isolated from the herbs of B. pinnatum. Their structures were identified as bryophylluside (1), kaempfrol (2), rutin (3), quercetin 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl (1→2) α-L-rhamnopyranoside (4), quercitrin (5), and β-sitosterol (6). Conclusion: Compound 1 is a new lignan, and lignans are first isolated from B. pinnatum. Kaempfrol is one of the main anti-allergic active compounds in B. pinnatum.

Anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and anti-lipidperoxidant effects of Cassia occidentalis Linn.

Cassia occidentalis Linn. mast cell degranulation at a dose of 250 mg/kg, showed dose dependent stabilizing activity towards human RBC, with is widely used in traditional medicine of India to treat a number of clinical conditions including allergy and inflammatory manifestations. In the present study anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of C. occidentalis whole plant ethanolic extract (CO) was investigated. Effects of CO on rat mast cell degranulation inhibition and human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization were studied in vitro following standard methods. The anti lipidperoxidant effects of CO were also studied in vitro. Effect of CO on carrageenan-induced mouse paw oedema inhibition was also assessed. CO significantly decreased maximum protection of 80.8% at 15 μg/ml. The extract also caused significant reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of murine hepatic microsomes at 100 μg/ml (56%) and significantly reduced carrageenan induced inflammation in mice at a dose of 250 mg/kg. Results of the present study indicated that CO inhibited mast cell degranulation, stabilized HRBC membrane thereby alleviating immediate hypersensitivity besides showing anti oxidant activity.

Anti -allergic Effects of Xitare Tab lets Combined with External Applica tion of Xitare Ointment / 中药新药与临床药理

Objective To investigate the anti -allergic effects of Xitare tablets combined with external use of Xitare Oint-3Gussinye Mment.MethodsSynlogousratmodelsofdermalsensitivity,mousemodelsofDNCB-induceddelayedhypersensitivity,ratmodelsofmastocyticdegranulationandguineapigmodelsofhistamine-phosphate-induceditchingreactionwereap-plied.ResultsXitaretablets(1.75,3.5,7.0g/kgbodyweight,bid,ig)combinedwithexternaluseofXitareOint-ment(0.7,1.4,2.1g/pertime,qd)obviouslycounteractedtheallergicreactioninratswithdermalsensitivity(P