title: Anti-allergic effect of bryonolic acid from Luffa cylindrica cell suspension cultures.
abstract: The anti-allergic activity of bryonolic acid (1) isolated from the cultured cells of Luffa cylindrica L. (Cucurbitaceae) was compared with that of glycyrrhetinic acid (2), the aglycone of glycyrrhizin from licorice. Compound 1, when administered to rats intraperitoneally at a dose of 600 mg/kg, inhibited homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis more strongly than 2 at the same dose. Compound 1 also significantly inhibited delayed hypersensitivity in mice which could not be inhibited by 2. In contrast to 2, 1 showed not only little toxicity but no visible side effects on mice, without impairing the activity of the hepatic enzyme (4,5 beta-dihydrocortisone:NADP+ delta 4-oxidoreductase) involved in steroid catabolism.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akimoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kamisako
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014315:Triterpenes; C074984:bryonolic acid; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid