Michinori Kubo

A 70% methanol extract of Scutellariae Radix, the dried root of Scutellaria baicalensis GEORGI, and its main flavonoid components, baicalin, baicalein and wogonin, have been screened in comparison with three standard anti-inflammatory agents, phenylbutazone, indomethacin and dexamethasone, for activity in various experimental models of inflammation. All of the test substances were found to inhibit an increase in vascular permeability in mice induced by acetic acid and to reduce acute paw edema in rats induced by compound 48/80. They also suppressed the secondary lesion in developing adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. Since these substances from Scutellariae Radix were found to be effective in both the acute and chronic phases of inflammation, the crude drug Scutellariae Radix can be considered as having anti-inflammatory activity.

Anti-allergic effects (types I and IV) of the 70% ethanol extract (CM-ext) obtained from Cnidii Monnieri Fructus (dried fruits of Cnidium monnieri) were investigated on 48 h homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced contact dermatitis and picryl chloride (PC)-induced contact dermatitis in experimental animals. CM-ext showed inhibitory effects on these allergic models. Osthol isolated from CM-ext also had the inhibitory effects. These results suggested that Cnidii Monnieri Fructus might be useful as an agent for allergic diseases and that its anti-allergic effect was partially attributable to a coumarin derivative, osthol.

It was found that the flavonoid components (wogonin, baicalein and baicalin) isolated from Scutellariae Radix (ogon in Japanese) inhibited lipid peroxidation in intact rat liver stimulated by the intraperitoneal administration of FeCl2-ascorbic acid-adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) mixture. Various flavonoids of ogon also inhibited lipid peroxidation stimulated by FeCl2-ascorbic acid and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-ADP mixture in rat liver homogenate. Furthermore, it was found that baicalin, the major flavonoid component of ogon, reduced the increase of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) levels in rats orally given an oxygen-bubbled rapeseed-corn-soybean oil mixture.

Ginsenoside Ro, an oleanane-type saponin has been screened for activity in experimental models of inflammation. Ginsenoside Ro (10, 50, and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) inhibited an increase in vascular permeability in mice induced by acetic acid and reduced an acute paw edema in rats induced by compound 48/80 or carrageenin. Ginsenoside Ro did not suppress a developing adjuvant-induced edema in arthritic rats. However, ginsenoside Ro was found to be effective in hypercoagulable state, increase of connective tissue in the artery and calcium effluence from the bone in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats.