title: Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha production by orally administering a perilla leaf extract.
abstract: The overproduction of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was suppressed by orally administering a perilla leaf extract (PLE). When mice were successively injected with OK-432, severe TNF-alpha was induced in the serum, but this elevated TNF-alpha level was reduced after an oral administration of PLE (400 microliters/mouse). Oral administration of PLE also inhibited TNF-alpha production that was induced by muramyl dipeptide (500 micrograms/mouse) and OK-432 (3 KE/mouse). These characteristics were obtained from all strains of perilla. The inhibitory activity against TNF-alpha production was heat-stable, and the existence of several active molecules was suggested. When PLE was passed through an ultrafilter, the inhibitory activity against TNF-alpha production was collected in those fractions with a mass of 0.5 to 1 kDa and more than 10 kDa. When PLE was solvent-extracted, the strongest activity was recognized with aqueous preparation, although significant activity was also detected in preparations extracted with n-hexane and ethyl acetate. These findings suggest that the daily use of certain functional foods may be useful for controlling the host defense system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha