Anti-allergic activity of Thai medicinal plants

Nineteen Thai medicinal plants which were used in Thai traditional medicine preparation for treat a cold, ashma and as antipyretic drug. They are Amomum testaceum, Anethum graveolens, Angelica dahurica, Angelica sinensis, Artemisia annua, Atractylodes lancea, Cuminum cyminum, Dracaena loureiri, Foeniculum vulgare, Kaempferia galanga, Lepidium sativum, Ligusticum sinense, Mammea siamensis, Mesua ferrea, Mimusops elengi, Myristica fragrans, Nelumbo nucifera, Nigella sativa and Syzygium aromaticum [1]. The objective of this research is to investigate on anti-allergic activity of these plants. They were extracted by ethanol, ethanol-water and water which imitated the use in Thai traditional book [1]. These extracts were examined for antiallergic activity by determination of inhibitory activities on the release of β-hexosaminidase from RBL-3H3 cells [2]. The results were found that the ethanolic (EtOH) extract of Mammea siamensis exhibited the most potent anti-allergic effect against antigen-induced β-hexosaminidase release as a marker of degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 8.476µg/ml, followed by the ethanolic extract of Dracaena loureiri and Myristica fragrans (Mace) (IC₅₀=9.912 and 11.205µg/ml, respectively). The water and ethanol-water extracts of all plants were apparently inactive (IC₅₀>100µg/ml). These results can support using Thai traditional plants for cold and asthma.

References: [1] Foundation of resuscitate and encourage Thai Traditinal Medicine (2005) Thai Pharmaceutical Book Pikanate Printing Center Cooporation 225–226.

[2] Tewtrakul, S., Subhadhirasakul, S. (2007)J. Ethnopharmacol. 109:535–538.