A traditional Oriental medicine may suppress mast cell overactivity in patients with arthritis and other inflammatory disorders.

"Plant medications have been applied to treat pains from various types of arthritis" in South Korea, scientists there noted. "Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is well known to be a chronic autoimmune/inflammatory disease that leads to progressive joint damage and cartilage destruction. Accumulation and activation of mast cells have been demonstrated in rheumatoid synovial tissue."

"Because infiltrated mast cells and their mediators may contribute to the initiation and progression of the inflammatory process and matrix degradation of RA," M.S. Kim and colleagues at Kyung Hee University "tested the inhibitory effects of 'Cool-Cool' (CC, Cool-X-A), an Oriental medication, on the production and migration of major inflammatory cytokines in mast cells."

"CC was treated in vitro before activation of human mast cell line (HMC-1) with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and the cytotoxicity of CC was assessed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assay. CC had no cytotoxic effects on HMC-1 cell viability," according to the report. "The inhibitory effects on cytokine production were monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)."

"CC inhibited not only the secretion but also the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-8 in HMC-1 cells," test results revealed. "CC also suppressed migration of mast cells induced by stem cell factor."

"These findings may help in understanding the mechanism of action of this herbal medication, leading to the control of mast cells in inflammatory conditions like RA," the researchers concluded.

Kim and coauthors published their study in the Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin (The oriental medicine 'Cool-Cool (Cool-X-A)' inhibits inflammatory cytokine production and migration in mast cells. Biol Pharm Bull, 2004;27(1):34-37).

For additional information, contact H.M. Kim, Kyung Hee University, College of Oriental Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, 1 Hoegi Dong, Seoul 130701, South Korea.

Publisher contact information for the journal Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin is: Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 2-12-15-201 Shibuya, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo, 150, Japan.

The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Biotechnology, Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Immunology, Pain Medicine and Rheumatology. This article was prepared by Immunotherapy Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2004, Immunotherapy Weekly via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net.

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