title: Constituents from oak bark (Quercus robur L.) inhibit degranulation and allergic mediator release from basophils and mast cells in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oak bark has been used since ancient times in Europaen ethnomedicine because of its adstringent, antimicrobial and hemostatic features, e.g. as a remedy for the treatment of wounds and skin diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Oak bark tannins are considered as bioactive natural products, interacting with surface proteins of mucous membranes and might be beneficial for the treatment of allergic diseases. This study investigated the effect of an oak bark decoction (OBD) and isolated tannin fractions on the degranulation capacity and cytokine/chemokine release from rat basophilic cells and human mast cells in vitro, which are essential for the initiation of early- and late-phase allergic reactions.
  
  
  METHODS
  By chromatographic separation on Sephadex®LH-20 high- and low-molecular weight tannins were separated from OBD and the tannin composition analyzed by HPLC(DAD)-MSn. Then, the OBD and its fractions were tested in degranulation (β-hexosaminidase activity) of allergen-specific-activated basophilic cells in a photometric assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The OBD and the high-molecular tannin fraction showed a dose-dependent inhibition of cell degranulation. Furthermore, the OBD and particularly its high molecular weight tannin fraction exhibited an inhibitory activity on the IL-8-, IL-6- and TNF-α-secretion from stimulated human mast cells, detected and quantified by ELISA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The OBD and its high-molecular weight tannins revealed an impact on allergic mediator release of basophilic cells and human mast cells and thereby provide a rationale for the topical treatment with OBD preparations.
authors.affiliation: WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Department of Analytical Development and Research, Bad Boll/ Eckwaelden, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.affiliation: WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Department of Analytical Development and Research, Bad Boll/ Eckwaelden, Germany.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.affiliation: Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and Hospital Infection Control, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia-Käufer
authors.affiliation: Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and Hospital Infection Control, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grunewald
authors.affiliation: WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Department of Analytical Development and Research, Bad Boll/ Eckwaelden, Germany.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Messerschmidt
authors.affiliation: WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Research, Bad Boll/ Eckwaelden, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herrick
authors.affiliation: WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Research, Bad Boll/ Eckwaelden, Germany.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.affiliation: WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Research, Bad Boll/ Eckwaelden, Germany.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.affiliation: WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Department of Analytical Development and Research, Bad Boll/ Eckwaelden, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knoedler
authors.affiliation: Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and Hospital Infection Control, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.affiliation: Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and Hospital Infection Control, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Steinborn
authors.affiliation: WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Department of Analytical Development and Research, Bad Boll/ Eckwaelden, Germany; WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Research, Bad Boll/ Eckwaelden, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Stintzing
authors.affiliation: Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and Hospital Infection Control, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: carsten.gruendemann@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gründemann
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001491:Basophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029963:Quercus / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Allergy; Anthroposophic medicine; Aqueous oak bark decoction; Polyphenols; Quercus robur L.; Tannins