Suppression of IgE production in mice treated with a traditional Chinese medicine, bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang (Japanese name: hochu-ekki-to).
The ability of a traditional herbal medicine, Bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang (Japanese name: Hochu-ekki-to, HOT), to suppress IgE production was investigated. BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally immunized with aluminium hydroxide adsorbed with DNP-KLH (DNP-KLH + alum). When oral administration of HOT was begun just after immunization, the serum level of antigen-specific IgE was significantly decreased, although those of antigen-specific IgG1 and IgG2a were not influenced. In the culture of spleen cells obtained 14 days after immunization with DNP-KLH, antigen-specific IgE and IgG1 production by the cells of the HOT-treated mice was significantly suppressed compared to that in immunized mice. Furthermore, in the combination culture with CD4+ T cells and B cells separated from spleen cells, IgE production by the cells from immunized mice was inhibited by replacement of their corresponding cell population with either CD4+ T cells or B cells of HOT-treated mice. Additionally, production of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and IL-4 was significantly suppressed in HOT-treated mice but not that of IFN-gamma in comparison to the immunized mice. These results suggested that HOT decreased the IgE level in serum by inhibiting the development of IL-4-producing CD4+ T cells.
Kaneko
M
M
Kampo Research Laboratories, Kanebo Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
Kishihara
K
K
Kawakita
T
T
Nakamura
T
T
Takimoto
H
H
Nomoto
K
K
D000534:Alum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
C042158:2,4-dinitrophenyl keyhole limpet hemocyanin; D000534:Alum Compounds; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D000939:Epitopes; C041524:aluminum sulfate; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D006433:Hemocyanins