Anti-allergic effect of a Korean traditional medicine, Biyeom-Tang on mast cells and allergic rhinitis

• Published in: BMC complementary and alternative medicine Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 54
• Main Authors: Jeong, Kyu-Tae, Kim, Sun-Gun, Lee, Jiean, Park, Young Na, Park, Hyo-Hyun, Park, Na-Young, Kim, Keuk-Jun, Lee, Hwadong, Lee, Youn Ju, Lee, Eunkyung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 12.02.2014; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Allergies; Analysis; Angelica; Animals; Anti-Allergic Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Allergic Agents - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Bone Marrow Cells - drug effects; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Health aspects; Herbal medicine; Immunoglobulin E - metabolism; Instrument industry; Interleukins - metabolism; Male; Mast Cells - drug effects; Medicine; Medicine, Korean Traditional; Mentha; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred ICR; Physiological aspects; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Prostaglandin D2 - metabolism; Rhinitis, Allergic - drug therapy; Rhinitis, Allergic - metabolism; Studies; Trichosanthes; Xanthium; United States; South Korea
• ISSN: 1472-6882; 1472-6882
• DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-54

Biyeom-Tang, a medicine prescribed by oriental clinics, has been used for the treatment of the allergic rhinitis (AR). In the present study, an ethanol extract of Biyeom-Tang (EBT) was investigated for anti-allergic properties on bone-marrow derived mast cells (BMMC) and in vivo models. The anti-allergic properties of EBT were evaluated by measuring β-Hex release and the production of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) on BMMC in vitro and PCA and OVA-induced AR models in vivo. EBT strongly inhibited a degranulation reaction in a dose dependent manner with an IC50 value of 35.6 μg/ml. In addition, the generation of PGD2 and LTC4 was inhibited in BMMC in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 values of 7.0 μg/ml and 10.9 μg/ml, respectively. When administrated orally, EBT ameliorated the mast cell-mediated PCA reaction. In the OVA-induced AR model, the increased levels of IgE were reduced by EBT. The levels of cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 decreased in the splenocytes of EBT-treated mice. The histological analysis shows that the infiltration of inflammatory cells increased by OVA-sensitization was also reduced. Taken together, these results suggested that EBT has anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo models.