RESUMO
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Acorus calamus Linn. (Araceae) is a traditional herbal plant used for centuries to treat various allergic symptoms including asthma and bronchitis. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was focused to provide a pharmacological basis for the traditional use of Acorus calamus in allergic symptoms using the mast cell-dependent anaphylactic reactions in in vitro and in vivo models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell viabilities were measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Dinitrophenyl-human serum albumin (DNP-HSA) induced ß-hexosaminidase and interleukin (IL)-4 productions in IgE-sensitized rat basophilic leukaemia (RBL-2H3) cells were measured by enzymatic assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction mouse model was implemented for in vivo studies. RESULTS: Hot water (HW), butylene glycol (BG), hexane (HE) and steam distilled (SD) extracts of Acorus calamus showed different cytoxicity levels evaluated in RBL-2H3 cells. Sub-toxic doses of HW extract suppressed the ß-hexosaminidase secretion and IL-4 production significantly and dose dependently in DNP-HSA induced IgE-sensitized RBL-2H3 cells compared to other extracts of Acorus calamus. Further, in vivo studies also revealed that the HW extract significantly inhibited the PCA reaction in mouse compared to the normal control group. CONCLUSION: HW extract of Acorus calamus most effectively inhibited degranulation and IL-4 secretion in DNP-HSA-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells and also reduced the mast cell-mediated PCA reaction in mouse, providing a therapeutic evidence for its traditional use in ameliorating allergic reactions.
Assuntos
Acorus , Antialérgicos/farmacologia , Mastócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Anafilaxia Cutânea Passiva/efeitos dos fármacos , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Acorus/química , Animais , Antialérgicos/isolamento & purificação , Butileno Glicóis/química , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Fracionamento Químico , Dinitrofenóis/imunologia , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Haptenos , Hexanos/química , Interleucina-4/metabolismo , Masculino , Mastócitos/imunologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Fitoterapia , Extratos Vegetais/isolamento & purificação , Plantas Medicinais , Ratos , Rizoma , Albumina Sérica/imunologia , Solventes/química , Água/química , beta-N-Acetil-Hexosaminidases/metabolismoRESUMO
The present study observed the effects of grape seed extract (GSE) and its ethylacetate (E) and ethylacetate/ethanol (EE) fractions on blood glucose levels in C57BL/KsJ-lepr(db)/lepr(db) (db/db) mice at 4-12 weeks of age. In the GSE- and EE fraction-treated db/db group, the blood glucose concentration began to be lower than that in the vehicle-treated db/db group at 6 weeks after treatment, while the blood glucose concentration in the E fraction-treated db/db group was similar to that in the vehicle-treated db/db group. The glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level in the vehicle-treated db/db groups was 9.3%, whereas HbA1c levels in the GSE- and EE fraction-treated db/db group decreased significantly to 5.7% and 6.1%, respectively, at 8 weeks after treatment. However, administration of GSE and its EE fraction did not show any significant effects on body weights and food consumption in db/db mice. These results suggest that GSE and its EE fraction have a potential to decrease the blood glucose and HbA1c level, which is applicable to good healthy foods for reducing blood glucose levels.
Assuntos
Glicemia/efeitos dos fármacos , Diabetes Mellitus Experimental/tratamento farmacológico , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Vitis/química , Animais , Peso Corporal/efeitos dos fármacos , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/tratamento farmacológico , Ingestão de Alimentos/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Teste de Tolerância a Glucose , Hemoglobinas Glicadas/análise , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Fitoterapia , Sementes/químicaRESUMO
AIM: To observe neuroprotective effects of raw and roasted licorice against hypoxia and ischemic damage. METHODS: When elucidating the protective effects of raw and roasted licorice, we analyzed the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release using PC12 cells after hypoxia in an in vitro study and after transient forebrain ischemia in an in vivo study on Mongolian gerbils. RESULTS: Raw and roasted licorice significantly reduced LDH release from PC12 cells exposed to an hypoxic chamber for 1 h. In the roasted licorice-treated group, the decrease of LDH release was more pronounced compared to that of the raw licorice-treated group. In roasted licorice-treated animals, approximately 66%-71% of CA1 pyramidal cells in the ischemic hippocampus were stained with cresyl violet compared to the control group. However, in the raw licorice-treated animals, no significant neuroprotection against ischemic damage was shown. In addition, ischemic animals in roasted licorice-treated group maintained the Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) activity and protein levels compared to the control group, while in raw licorice-treated group SOD1 activity and protein levels were reduced significantly. High pressure liquid chromatography analysis showed that non-polar compounds containing glycyrrhizin-degraded products, such as glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) and glycyrrhetinic acid monoglucuronide (GM), were increased in roasted licorice. CONCLUSION: Roasted licorice had neuroprotective effects against ischemic damage by maintaining the SOD1 levels. In addition, the difference in protective ability between raw and roasted licorice may be associated with non-polar compounds, such as GA and GM.