Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties of water extract from the seed of Phaseolus calcaratus Roxburgh

The seeds of Raphanus sativus L. (RSL) and Phaseolus calcaratus Roxburgh (PHCR), the root of Scutellaria baicalensis (SB), and the flower of Lonicera japonica (LJ) have been traditionally used as herbal medicines for anti-inflammation. Unlike the SB and LJ, little information is available for the scientific bases that show the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of RSL and PHCR. In this study, we prepared boiled water extracts from the medicines and determined their potentials in inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 secretion in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The effects of the medicines on serum IgE levels in ovalbumin (OVA)-administrated mice were also studied. The medicines inhibited production of TNF-α and IL-6, and COX-2 expression in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Especially, PHCR water extract showed more potent inhibition on TNF-α production than SB and LJ extracts, but RSL extract did not exert these effects. Similar to the cases of SB and LJ, PHCR extract prevented the phosphorylation of IκBα and c-Jun, and the activation of NF-κB-DNA binding. Further, oral supplementation of PHCR extract attenuated significantly serum levels of total and OVA-specific IgE in OVA-treated animals. These results suggest a possibility that PHCR water extract can be used for the treatment of inflammatory and allergic diseases.