Enhancement of Anti-Allergic Effects Me-diated by the Kampo Medicine Shoseiryuto (Xiao-Qing-Long-Tang in Chinese) with Lysed Enterococcus faecalis FK-23 in Mice

• Published in: Asian Pacific journal of allergy and immunology Vol. 28; no. 1; p. 59
• Main Authors: Shimada, Takashi, Kondoh, Masatoshi, Motonaga, Chie, Kitamura, Yoshihisa, Cheng, Lei, Shi, HaiBo, Enomoto, Tadao, Tsuruta, Daisuke, Ishii, Masamitsu, Kobayashi, Hiromi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bangkok The Allergy and Immunology Society 01.03.2010
• Subjects: Enterococcus faecalis
• ISSN: 0125-877X

Kampo is a traditional Japanese medicine originating from ancient Chinese medicine which included the administration of herbal prescription, lifestyle advice and acupuncture. Orally administered Kampo prescrip-tions are believed to be influenced by diet and intestinal microbiota. However, reports on the Kampo administration effects are still limited. Shoseiryuto (TJ-19), which has anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties, is a Kampo prescription used clinically for the treatment of allergic bronchial asthma. We examined whether Shoseiryuto ad-ministration is affected by a probiotic product, lysed Enterococcus faecalis FK-23 (LFK). BALB/c mice were sensi-tized with cedar pollen allergen, and the peritoneal accumulation of eosinophils was induced. During a sensitiza-tion period of 21 days, varying amounts of Shoseiryuto (and saline as a control) were administered to the mice. The accumulation of eosinophils was significantly reduced by 30 mg/day doses of Shoseiryuto but not by 3 or 9 mg/day doses. Similarly, 3 mg/day Shoseiryuto, 30 mg/day LFK, 3 mg/day of Shoseiryuto co-administered with 30 mg/day of LFK, and saline control were compared. A significant reduction in the accumulation of eosinophils was observed at 3 mg/day Shoseiryuto co-administered with 30 mg/day of LFK. These results suggest that Shoseiryuto-mediated anti-allergic effects are enhanced by the probiotic (LFK). Although not significant statistically, serum aller-gen-specific and total IgE levels in the treatment group exposed to the mixed agent ( i.e. Shoseiryuto and LFK) were generally lower than those receiving either one alone. The results indicate a synergistic effect of a Kampo medicine (Shoseiryuto, Xiao-Qing-Long-Tang in Chinese) and lysed Enterococcus faecalis FK-23 on allergic responses in mice.