title: Anti-allergic effect of tea-leaf saponin (TLS) from tea leaves (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis).
abstract: We investigated the anti-allergic effect of tea-leaf saponin (TLS), which was a mixture of saponins separated from the leaves of Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, in guinea pigs and rats. TLS (20-100 mg/kg) dose-dependently inhibited experimentally-induced asthma, and ID50 was 61.7 mg/kg. TLS (20-100 mg/kg) dose-dependently inhibited a 48 h homologous PCA (passive cutaneous anaphylaxis) reaction, and the inhibitory effect was similar to that of tranilast. TLS (1-100 microg/ml) also inhibited the release of antigen-induced leukotriene (LT) C4 from sensitized guinea pig lung samples in a dose-dependent fashion, but did not prevent histamine release. TLS (0.01-0.5 microg/ml) inhibited histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells induced by compound 48/80. At higher concentrations, TLS elicited histamine release. These findings suggest that TLS may be a useful protective agent against clinical allergy, and that the inhibitory effects of TLS on mediator release are in some way related to its inhibitory effect on experimentally-induced asthma and PCA reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, Yamashiro-cho, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akagi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukuishi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Sagesaka
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akagi
mesh_terms: D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects; D017997:Leukotriene C4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010323:Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013662:Tea; D062367:ortho-Aminobenzoates / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D012503:Saponins; D013662:Tea; D062367:ortho-Aminobenzoates; D017997:Leukotriene C4; C012293:tranilast