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Mast cells are central players in immediate-type hypersensitvity and inflammatory responses. In the present study, the effects of britanin on the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in mice and on the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and calcium ionophore A23187 (PMACI)-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in human mast cell line (HMC-1) were evaluated. The oral administration of britanin (10-20 mg/kg) decreased the mast cell-mediated PCA reaction in IgE-sensitized mice. In the activity and mechanism of britanin in vitro assay, britanin suppressed the gene expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent manner in HMC-1. In addition, britanin attenuated PMACI-induced activation of NF-κB as indicated by the inhibition of the degradation of IκBα, nuclear translocation of NF-κB, NF-κB/DNA binding activity assay, and blocked the phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase, in a dose-dependent manner. We conclude that britanin may have potential as a treatment for allergic-inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the anti-asthmatic effects of the flowers of Inulae Flos (Inula japonica) extract (IFE) on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma and airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). It explores the efficacy of the IFE treatment in reducing the eosinophils and Th2 cytokines percentage in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). It suggests that the IFE suppressed AHR induced by aerosolized methacholine in OVA-induced asthma and inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus hypersecretion.