This study was performed to evaluate the possibility of application of lactic acid bacteria fermentation to increase the anti-allergic activity of the extracts from Houttuynia cordata Thunb. H. cordata Thunb was fermented on 25, 30, 35 and 40℃ for 5 days by two species of lactic acid bacteria, Leuconostoc mesenteroides 4395 and Lactobacillus sakei 383. The anti-allergic activity of water extracts of H. cordata Thunb was then analyzed both before and after fermentation. Anti-allergic activity was determined in vitro assays by using 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and β-hexoseaminidase release of RBL-2H3 cells (degranulation marker). The extracts fermented at 35℃ by both bacteria had the highest inhibitory activities against 5-LO, and also higher than the control, and the one fermented at 30℃ by both bacteria had the highest inhibitory activity against COX-2. The degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells induced by IgE-antigen complex was estimated as β-hexoseaminidase release rate as reference of 100%, the release rates were inhibited in 25 μg/ml of the extracts fermented at 30, 35 and 40℃ only by L. mesenteroides 4395. These results indicate that anti-allergic activity of H. cordata Thunb is increased by lactic acid bacteria fermentation.

The anti-allergic effect of C3GHi rice breeded from the cross of ‘Heugjinjubyeo’ and ‘Suwon 415’ was investigated. Antiscratching behavioral effects of the water extract of C3GHi was higher than Heugjinjubyeo. Orally administered BCRs’ extracts exhibited potent inhibitory activity against scratching behaviors which were induced by compound 48/80. The inhibitory effect of C3GHi against the passive cutaneous reaction was more potent than that of Heugjinjubyeo. These finding suggest that black colored rice, especially C3GHi, may inhibit scratching behaviors and passive cutaneous reaction, and its anti-allergic activities were increased by means of selecting high C3G rice seeds.

This study aimed to investigate the anti-allergic activity and the mechanism of action of Crassirhizomae rhizoma (CR). The extract of CR exhibited potent inhibitory activity in mast cells; its IC50 values were 31.2±1.5μg/ml for rat basophile leukemia (RBL)-2H3 mast cells and 51.5±2.1μg/ml for bone marrow-derived mast cells by antigen stimulation. It also suppressed the expression of TNF-α and IL-4 mRNAs in RBL-2H3 cells. In an in-vivo animal allergy model, it inhibited a local allergic reaction, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), in a dose-dependent manner. With regard to the mechanism of action, CR inhibited the activating phosphorylation of Syk kinase, a key signaling protein for the activation of mast cells. Taken together, these results strongly suggested that the anti-allergic activity of CR is mediated through the inhibition of histamine release and allergic cytokine production by the inhibition of Syk in mast cells.

The effects of extracts from various Oriental medicinal herbs on mast-cell-mediated allergic reactions were investigated in this study. Out of these extracts, the medicinal herb Atractylodis rhizoma alba exhibited the most potent activity in the cells, with IC50 values of 20.5 μg/ml, by DNP-BSA and 33.04 μg/ml, by compound 48/80. Similar to the in vitro activity, Atractylodis rhizoma alba inhibited compound-48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis by 31.3% at 300 mg/kg in mice. It also suppressed the secretion of TNF-α, a major pro-inflammatory cytokine in the cells. These results may suggest that Atractylodis rhizoma alba shows anti-allergic activity in compound 48/80-induced anaphylactic mice through the inhibition of mast cells.