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Planta Med 2012; 78(4): 334-340
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1280455
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

In Vitro Antiallergic Effects of Aqueous Fermented Preparations from Citrus and Cydonia fruits

Roman Huber1 , Florian Conrad Stintzing2 , Daniel Briemle2 , Christiane Beckmann2 , Ulrich Meyer2 , Carsten Gründemann1
  • 1Center for Complementary Medicine, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
  • 2WALA Heilmittel GmbH, Bad Boll/Eckwälden, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

received August 11, 2011 revised Nov. 14, 2011

accepted Nov. 27, 2011

Publication Date:
22 December 2011 (online)

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory and antiallergic properties of preparations from lemon, Citrus medica L. (Citrus), and quince, Cydonia oblonga Mill. (Cydonia), which are used in pharmaceutical products to treat patients suffering from allergic disorders. Preparations were analyzed with respect to their impact on the degranulation capacity from basophilic cells as well as mediator release from activated human mast cells in vitro, including IL-8 and TNF-α secretion. The results show that the degranulation of basophilic cells was diminished only in the presence of Citrus, and this effect was compared to the synthetic drug azelastine. Furthermore, Citrus and Cydonia both inhibited the production of IL-8 and TNF-α from human mast cells, and at low concentrations additive effects were observed. As a positive inhibition control, dexamethasone was used. LC-MS analyses showed that the major phenolic components in extracts from Citrus and Cydonia are eriocitrin and neochlorogenic acid, respectively. Nevertheless, these compounds do not show biological effects at concentration levels detected in their corresponding extracts. In conclusion, the present data provide a rational base for the use of the single pharmaceutical preparations from Citrus and Cydonia in a differentiated treatment of allergic disorders in part by the regulation of soluble allergic mediators from basophilic cells and mast cells.

Key words

Citrus medica - Rutaceae - Cydonia oblonga - Rosaceae - allergy - phenolics - anthroposophical medicine

Supporting Information

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Carsten Gründemann

Center for Complementary Medicine
Department of Environmental Health Sciences
University Medical Center Freiburg

Breisacher Str. 115B

79106 Freiburg

Germany

Phone: +49 7 61 27 08 32 20

Fax: +49 7 61 27 08 32 30

Email: carsten.gruendemann@uniklinik-freiburg.de