title: Mast cell stabilization, lipoxygenase inhibition, hyaluronidase inhibition, antihistaminic and antispasmodic activities of Aller-7, a novel botanical formulation for allergic rhinitis.
abstract: Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, rose fever or summer catarrh, is a major challenge to health professionals. A large number of the world's population, including approximately 40 million Americans, suffers from allergic rhinitis. A novel, botanical formulation (Aller-7) has been developed for the treatment of allergic rhinitis using a combination of extracts from seven medicinal plants, including Phyllanthus emblica, Terminalia chebula, T. bellerica, Albizia lebbeck, Piper nigrum, Zingiber officinale and P. longum, which have a proven history of efficacy and health benefits. The clinical manifestations of allergy are due to a number of mediators that are released from mast cells. The effect of Aller-7 on rat mesenteric mast cell degranulation was studied by incubating different concentrations of Aller-7 and challenging them with a degranulating agent, compound 48/80. The inhibitory activity of Aller-7 was determined against lipoxygenase and hyaluronidase, the key enzymes involved in the initiation and maintenance of inflammatory responses. Furthermore, most of these manifestations are due to histamine, which causes vasodilatation, increasing capillary permeability and leading to bronchoconstriction. Hence, the antihistaminic activity of Aller-7 was determined is isolated guinea pig ileum substrate using cetirizine as a positive control. The antispasmodic effect of Aller-7 on contractions of guinea pig tracheal chain was determined using papaverine and cetirizine as controls. Aller-7 exhibited potent activity in all these in vitro models tested, thus demonstrating the novel anti-allergic potential of Aller-7.
authors.affiliation: Natural Remedies Research Center, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amit
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pratibha
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bagchi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bagchi
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Stohs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017609:Barium Compounds / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002217:Carbachol / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D017332:Cetirizine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002712:Chlorides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007082:Ileum; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010208:Papaverine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014132:Trachea
chemical_list: D017609:Barium Compounds; D002712:Chlorides; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; C024986:barium chloride; D002217:Carbachol; D010208:Papaverine; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase; D017332:Cetirizine