Drosera rotundifolia and Drosera tokaiensis suppress the activation of HMC-1 human mast cells.
BACKGROUND
Several Northern Hemisphere Drosera species have been used in the therapy of respiratory tract infections as the traditional medicine Droserae Herba.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the anti-inflammatory effects of Drosera species and to investigate a substitute material for Droserae Herba, we examined the effect of extracts of Drosera rotundifolia, Drosera tokaiensis and Drosera spatulata on activated T cell membrane (aTc-m)-induced inflammatory gene expression in HMC-1 human mast cells.


METHODS
Drosera rotundifolia, Drosera spatulata and Drosera tokaiensis were collected in Japan. Herbs were extracted with 80% EtOH, and subsequently applied to OASIS HLB column. HMC-1 cells were treated with each Drosera column-adsorbed fraction for 15min, and subsequently added to aTc-m and incubated for 16h. Inflammatory gene and protein expressions were determined by DNA microarray, RT-PCR and Western blotting.


RESULTS
Drosera rotundifolia and Drosera tokaiensis fractions, but not the Drosera spatulata fraction, suppressed inflammatory gene expression induced by aTc-m in HMC-1 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Drosera rotundifolia and Drosera tokaiensis suppressed activation of HMC-1 cells induced by aTc-m. Since the Drosera tokaiensis fraction was more effective than the traditionally used Drosera rotundifolia, Drosera tokaiensis is a likely substitute as a source of Droserae Herba.
Fukushima
Kenji
K
School of Agriculture, Tokai University, Kawayou, Minamiaso-mura, Kumamoto 869-1404, Japan.
Nagai
Kanji
K
Hoshi
Yoshikazu
Y
Masumoto
Saeko
S
Mikami
Ichiho
I
Takahashi
Yumiko
Y
Oike
Hideaki
H
Kobori
Masuko
M
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D017931:DNA Primers; D029787:Drosera / Q000737:chemistry*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013045:Species Specificity
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D017931:DNA Primers; D010936:Plant Extracts