title: Antiinflammatory effect of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds.
abstract: The antiinflammatory effects of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds were examined in vivo and in vitro. The extract of this seed (HCSE) inhibited croton oil-induced swelling of the mouse concha. HCSE inhibited cyclooxygenase (COX) -1 and -2 activities, but had no effect on 15-lipoxygenase and phospholipase A2 activities. Inhibition of COX-2 occurred at a lower concentration of HCSE than for COX-1. Japanese horse chestnut seeds contain coumarins and saponins, but these chemicals did not inhibit COX activities. These results suggest that the antiinflammatory effect of Japanese horse chestnut seeds is caused, at least partly, by the inhibition of COX. The inhibitor of COX in this seed may be a chemical(s) other than coumarins and saponins.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Japan.
authors.forename: Itaru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Hisayoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kofujita
authors.forename: Tadahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsuda
mesh_terms: D031319:Aesculus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003374:Coumarins / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012503:Saponins / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014420:Turbinates / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003374:Coumarins; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins