The anti-inflammatory effect of Cheongseoikki-tang ethanol extract on allergic reactions mediated by bone marrow-derived mast cells.

OBJECTIVE: Cheongseoikki-tang (CIT, Korean), also called Qingshu Yiqi decoction () and Seisho-ekki-to (Japanese), is well known as an effective traditional combination of herbs for treating cardiovascular diseases. This study was to research its effects on bone marrow-derived mast cell (BMMC)-mediated allergy and inflammation mechanisms. METHODS: In this study, the biological effect of Cheongseoikki-tang ethanol extract (CITE) was evaluated, focusing on its effects on the production of allergic mediators by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187 (A23187)-stimulated BMMCs. These allergic mediators included interleukin-6 (IL-6), prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), leukotriene C4 (LTC4), and ß-hexosaminidase (ß-hex). RESULTS: Our data revealed that CITE inhibited the production of IL-6, PGD2, LTC4, and ß-hex induced by PMA plus A23187 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that CITE has the potential for use in the treatment of allergy.