抄録
Recently, it was reported that the topical application of H2O extract of mugwort [Artemisia princeps P.] effectively prevents the itching and the inflammatory responses. However, its pharmacological mechanism is unclear. In order to clarify some of the active ingredients and their pharmacological effects, we examined in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of the H2O extract and its fractionated parts of mugwort. The fractionation was carried out on a method of liquid-liquid partition with H2O-n-BuOH, and further reprecipitation on the concentrated H2O layer from H2O-EtOH. The fraction obtained as a precipitate significantly inhibited histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells induced by compound 48/80. The topical application of this fraction also significantly inhibited (1) the hind paw edema induced by compound 48/80 and (2) the vascular permeability enhanced by the intradermal injection of histamine and serotonin. These results demonstrated that the anti-histamine components obtained in the fraction of water soluble and ethanol insoluble phase showed an anti-inflammatory effect.
