Antiinflammatory activity of astilbic acid from Astilbe chinensis.

This study examined the effect of astilbic acid (3beta,6beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-27-oic acid), which is a herbal medicine isolated from Astilbe chinensis. Astilbic acid inhibited 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)-dependent leukotriene C4 (LTC4) generation in bone marrow-derived mast cells in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 2.1 microM. In addition, astilbic acid was tested in a rat passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction assay by administering 10 to 50 mg/kg i.p. Astilbic acid dose dependently inhibited the PCA reaction, which was activated by anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE. Furthermore, this compound inhibited mouse acetic acid-induced writhing (47-62% inhibition at 0.4-50 mg/kg) after being administered orally, while aspirin (200 mg/kg) showed 62% inhibition. These results suggest that astilbic acid may be beneficial in regulating various inflammatory processes.