Identification of Dimethylmatairesinol as an Immunoglobulin E-suppressing Component of the Leaves of Cinnamomum camphora

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) plays an important role in allergic diseases. In this study, we found that am ethanol extract of leaves of the camphor tree Cinnamomum camphora (C. camphora )r educed the amount of IgE secreted by human myeloma U266 cells. When the methanol extract was fractionated by extraction with organic solvents, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest activity. The fraction was further separated into several subfractions by preparative TLC. We identified the component of one of the active subfractions as dimethylmatairesinol. Authentic dimethylmatairesinol exhibited similar activity. Thus, the extract of C. camphora and its components including dimethylmatairesinol have potential as an anti-allergic agent.