1. Anti-allergic activity of naringenin chalcone from a tomato skin extract.
- Author
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Yamamoto T, Yoshimura M, Yamaguchi F, Kouchi T, Tsuji R, Saito M, Obata A, and Kikuchi M
- Subjects
- Animals, Chalcone chemistry, Chalcones, Flavonoids chemistry, Mice, Phenols chemistry, Polyphenols, Anti-Allergic Agents pharmacology, Chalcone analogs & derivatives, Chalcone pharmacology, Histamine Release drug effects, Hypersensitivity drug therapy, Solanum lycopersicum chemistry
- Abstract
The anti-allergic activity of a tomato extract was studied by using an in vitro histamine-release assay. The tomato skin extract exerted the strongest inhibition of histamine release. Chlorogenic acid, rutin and naringenin were identified in the 60% ethanol extract of tomato skin. However, the extract contained an unknown compound which strongly inhibited histamine release. This active compound in tomato skin was identified as naringenin chalcone (trans-2'4'6'4-tetrahydroxychalcone). Naringenin chalcone inhibited histamine release with an IC(50) value of 68 microg/ml. The anti-allergic activity of the tomato skin extract was next investigated by the in vivo mouse ear-swelling response. We found that naringenin chalcone showed the strongest inhibitory effect of the polyphenols of the tomato skin extract. These results indicate that a tomato skin extract could inhibit allergic reactions.
- Published
- 2004
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