Lonicera Japonioa Suppresses the Mast Cell-Mediated Immediate Allergic Reaction

The flowers of Lonicera japonica Thunb. (Caprifoliaceae) have been used as a traditional effective drug in treating bacillary dysentery, purulence. However, the exact role of Lonicera japonica in allergic reaction has not been clarified yet. Immediate hypersensitivity, popularly known as allergy, is a major clinical problem in humans. It has been found that the histamine release from mast cells is an essential step in the pathological process of immediate hypersensitivity. In this study, the effect of aqueous extract of Lonicera japonica (AELJ) on allergic reaction was investigated. AELJ inhibited the compound 48／80-induced anaphylactic reactions and antigen-induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA). AELJ in vitro exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of degranulation in RPMC stimulated by compound 48／80. AELJ also suppressed the morphological changes and the increase of intracellular free calcium level induced by compound 48／80. These results suggest that inhibitory effect of AELJ on allergic reaction may be mediated through the decrease of intracellular free calcium levels, and AELJ importantly contributes to the treatment of anaphylaxis and may be useful for other allergic disease.