• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.11
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• pp.1635-1641
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• 2014

Diospyros lotus has been cultivated for its edible fruits, which are considered to have medicinal importance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and antipruritic activities of water-soluble, methanol extract, and ethyl acetate (EA) fractions from D. lotus leaves. The EA fraction showed the lowest $IC_{50}$ vale (DPPH: $5.3{\mu}g/mL$, ABTS: $53.8{\mu}g/mL$). Therefore, we further investigated anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects of the EA fraction. TNF-${\alpha}$ production increased by PMA plus A23187 treatment was significantly inhibited by the EA fraction in a dose-dependent manner. The EA fraction also inhibited histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells stimulated by compound 48/80, which promotes histamine release. Furthermore, EA fraction had inhibitory effects on scratching behavior induced by compound 48/80 in Balb/c mice. These results suggest that the EA fraction from D. lotus leaves has potential as ameliorative agent against oxidative stress and pruritus-related disease.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2013

Pruritus is a unpleasant symptom in the skin that provokes the act of or desire to scratch. Mast cells are important effector cells in allergic reactions such as pruritus and inflammation. The purpose of this study was undertaken to investigate the synergic anti-pruritic and anti-inflammatory effects of Scutellariae Radix (SB) plus Flos Loncerae (FL) extracts in rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs), pruritogen-induced scratching mice and 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced allergic mice. We investigated the effect of SB, FL and SB plus FL extracts on the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and histamine in RPMCs, on the scratching behavior in ICR mice, and skin clinical serverity and inflammatory mediators in DNFB-induced allergic hairless mice. RPMCs stimulated with PMA plus A23187 or compound 48/80 significantly increased TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ or histamine production compared with media control. However, TNF-${\alpha}$ IL-$1{\beta}$ or histamine levels increased by PMA plus A23187 or compound 48/80 treatment were significantly inhibited by SB, FL in a dose-dependent manner. Especially, SB plus FL pretreatment had a synergic inhibitory effects on stimulator-induced cytokines (TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$) and histamine production. Moreover, SB plus FL administration had a synergic inhibitory effects on the scratching behavior induced by pruritogen (compound 48/80, histamine, serotonin, substance P) in ICR mice. Furthermore, SB plus FL administration had a synergic inhibitory effects on skin damage, inflammatory mediators, leukocyte and mast cell infiltration induced by DNFB in hairless mice. These results suggest that SB plus FL administration has a potential use as a medicinal plant for treatment against itching and inflammation-related skin disease.