• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.2 s.145
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• pp.110-115
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• 2006

Melittia inouei (Yuri Nabang) larvae are used as a crude drug in East Asia for treating stomach cancer and inflammation, and currently reared as a pharmaceutical insect in Jejudo, Korea. This study evaluated the immuno-modulating activity of these extracts, by determining the level of, cytokine production from mouse splenocytes stimulated with the extracts. The Melittia inouei larvae extracts did not induce the splenocyte proliferation. On the other hand, they stimulated the splenocytes to produce cytokines such as $TNF-{\alpha}$, whereas they did not stimulate IL10, IL12 or $IFN-{\gamma}$. The aqueous portion of its plant (Tri-chosanthis kirilowii) extract (sap) was found to be a potent inducer of NO production from the CPAE cells. However, it showed weak inhibitory effects on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production from splenocytes. These data suggests that a Melittia inouei larvae extract immune modulatory activity in cytokine prodcutions such as $TNF-{\alpha}$ and VEGF which might be related its anticancer effect.