title: Anti-asthmatic activity of an ethanol extract from Saururus chinensis.
abstract: As an attempt to find bioactive medicinal herbs exerting anti-asthmatic activity, the effects of an ethanol extract from the parts of Saururus chinensis were evaluated in both in vitro and in vivo. The ethanol extract of S. chinensis (ESC) inhibited generation of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) dependent phases of prostaglandin D(2) in bone marrow-derived mast cells in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC(50) value of 14.3 microg/ml. ESC also inhibited leukotriene C(4) production with an IC(50) value of 0.3 microg/ml. This demonstrates that ESC has COX-2/5-lipoxygenase dual inhibitory activity. In addition, this compound inhibited degranulation reaction in a dose dependent manner, with an IC(50) value of 1.3 microg/ml. An ovalbumin induced mouse asthmatic animal model was used to determine its in vivo anti-asthmatic activity. The oral administration (50-200 mg/kg) of ESC reduced the number of infiltrated eosinophil in a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Furthermore, ESC (100 mg/kg) inhibited the eotaxin and IL-4 mRNA expression levels. These results suggest that the anti-asthmatic activity of S. chinensis might in part occur via the inhibition of eicosanoid generation, degranulation as well as the down regulation of IL-4 and eotaxin mRNA expression.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Korea.
authors.forename: Eunkyung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyungmi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haa
authors.forename: Ju Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yook
authors.forename: Mei Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Chang Seob
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Kun Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Hyun Pyo
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Sam Sik
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jong Keun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Hyeun Wook
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001094:Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015230:Prostaglandin D2 / Q000378:metabolism; D032134:Saururaceae / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol; D010047:Ovalbumin; D001094:Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D015230:Prostaglandin D2