title: Anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory triterpenes from the herb of Prunella vulgaris.
abstract: The activity-guided fractionation of the extract of the herb of Prunella vulgaris (Labiatae) led to the isolation of four triterpenes, i.e., betulinic acid, ursolic acid, 2 alpha,3 alpha-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, and 2 alpha-hydroxyursolic acid. One of these compounds, 2 alpha,3 alpha-dihydroxyursolic acid, demonstrated significant inhibition on the release of beta-hexosaminidase from the cultured RBL-2H3 cells in a dose-dependent manner; the IC50 value was calculated to be 57 microM. When the isolated compounds were tested for their effects on the production of nitric oxide from cultured murine macrophages, RAW 264.7 cells, ursolic acid and 2 alpha-hydroxyursolic acid exhibited strong inhibitory activities (IC50 values, 17 and 27 microM, respectively).
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Oak
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D014315:Triterpenes