Anti-allergic activity of standardized extract of Albizia lebbeck with reference to catechin as a phytomarker

Abstract

Background and aim: The major groups of phytonutrients found in plants include polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, amines, etc., all of which are observed to have potential anti-allergic activity. In this study, we evaluated the anti-allergic activity of the standardized extract of Albizia lebbeck with respect to the catechin, a polyphenolic phytomarker.

Material and methods: The percentage of catechin in the ethanolic extract was found to be 14.72 mg/g. We administered Albizia lebbeck (50–300 mg/kg) and 50 mg/kg of catechin to mice to evaluate the mast cell stabilization and estimation of histamine elevation in the plasma.

Results and conclusion: Results support the conclusion that Albizia lebbeck at different concentrations has got potent mast cell stabilizing property and the IC₅₀ value of Albizia lebbeck was found to be 85 μg/ml. This inhibitory potential of catechin from Albizia lebbeck is perhaps due to modulation of two important effector’s functions, histamine release and cytokine expression of antigen -IgE activated mast cells.

Keywords:

• Anti-allergy
• Albizia lebbeck
• catechin
• mast cell stabilization
• histamine estimation

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) File No. DST/INT/JAP/P-62/08; through the India-Japan Cooperative Science Program. Thanks are also due to the Indian Council of Medical Research, Government of India, New Delhi: F. No- 45/29/2007/BMS/TRM, for providing a senior research fellowship to P. Venkatesh.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.