title: Suppression of Th2-type immune response-mediated allergic diarrhea following oral administration of traditional Korean medicine: Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.
abstract: Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (AMK) is well-known as a digestive and tonic material and is widely used in traditional Korean herbal medicines. Previously, we found that protein samples obtained from the medicines could induce a preferential stimulation of type 1, rather than type 2, helper T lymphocytes (Th) immune responses in vitro. Since immune response induction is controlled by the balanced activation between Th1- and Th2-type immune responses, we tested to see whether or not the AMK protein sample could inhibit the ovalbumin (OVA)-mediated allergic diarrhea, whose induction has been known to be mediated by the Th2-type immune responses. The sample treatment markedly stimulated lymphocyte proliferation, antibody production, and cytokine secretion in vitro, showing a preferential stimulation of Th1-type immune responses. In particular, oral administration of the AMK sample suppressed the OVA-mediated allergic diarrhea in mice. The sample treatment also suppressed the OVA-mediated enhanced levels of total immunoglobulin (Ig) E, as well as OVA-specific IgE, which are closely associated with Th2 cell stimulation in mice. Furthermore, the oral treatment of the sample significantly increased gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production by lymphocytes, isolated from spleen and large intestine of the mice, that had been systematically challenged with OVA. Consequently, the oral administration of AMK protein sample suppressed the OVA-mediated allergic diarrhea by preferential stimulation of the Th1-type immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Sciences and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Chonbuk National University, Chonju, Korea.
authors.forename: Sae-Hae
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ha-Na
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Kyung-Yeol
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ju
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong-Chae
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yong-Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D031174:Atractylodes / Q000737:chemistry; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D007723:Korea; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin