As part of an ongoing investigation aimed at the discovery of novel bioactive medicinal herbs with anti-inflammatory properties, the effects of an ethanolic extract from the parts of Salviae miltiorrhiza Bunge (ESM) were evaluated using in vitro and i...
As part of an ongoing investigation aimed at the discovery of novel bioactive medicinal herbs with anti-inflammatory properties, the effects of an ethanolic extract from the parts of Salviae miltiorrhiza Bunge (ESM) were evaluated using in vitro and in vivo animal model analysis. ESM inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and COX-1-dependent phases of prostaglandin $D_2$ ($PGD_2$) generation in bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) in a concentration-dependent manner with $IC_{50}$ values of $3.96{\mu}g/mL$ and $21.54{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Furthermore, ESM inhibited leukotriene $C_4$ ($LTC_4$) production with an $IC_{50}$ value of $2.6{\mu}g/mL$. These results clearly demonstrated the dual COX-2 selective/5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity that ESM possessed. ESM strongly inhibited a degranulation reaction in a dose dependent manner within a BMMC system, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $22.4{\mu}g/mL$. Additionally, ESM was tested in a rat passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction assay by oral administration (25 to 100 mg/kg). ESM dose-dependently inhibited the PCA reaction, which was activated by anti-dinirophenyl (DNP) IgE. These results suggested that ESM might be beneficial in regulating various allergic reactions.