# Vegetable Extracts as Therapeutic Agents: A Comprehensive Exploration of Anti-Allergic Effects

## TL;DR

This study explores how vegetable extracts, particularly from perilla and chives, may help prevent and treat allergic reactions by inhibiting degranulation in cells and reducing allergy symptoms in mice.

## Contribution

The study identifies perilla and chive extracts as novel natural agents with strong anti-allergic properties, supported by both cell and animal experiments.

## Key findings

- Extracts of perilla and chives strongly inhibited degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells.
- Vegetable extracts reduced anaphylactic symptoms in OVA allergy model mice.
- The anti-allergic effects may involve suppression of high-affinity IgE receptor subunit expression.

## Abstract

Food allergies are common worldwide and have become a major public health concern; more than 220 million people are estimated to suffer from food allergies worldwide. On the other hand, polyphenols, phenolic substances found in plants, have attracted attention for their health-promoting functions, including their anti-allergic effects. In this study, we examined the potential inhibitory effects of 80% ethanol extracts from 22 different vegetables on the degranulation process in RBL-2H3 cells. Our aim was to identify vegetables that could prevent and treat type I allergic diseases. We found strong inhibition of degranulation by extracts of perilla and chives. Furthermore, we verified the respective efficacy via animal experiments, which revealed that the anaphylactic symptoms caused by ovalbumin (OVA) load were alleviated in OVA allergy model mice that ingested vegetable extracts of perilla and chives. These phenomena were suggested to be caused by induction of suppression in the expression of subunits that constitute the high-affinity IgE receptor, particularly the α-chain of FcεR I. Notably, the anti-allergic effects of vegetables that can be consumed daily are expected to result in the discovery of new anti-immediate allergenic drugs based on the components of these vegetables.