Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis-inhibitory action of tectorigenin, a metabolite of tectoridin by intestinal microflora.

Tectoridin isolated from the flowers of Pueraria thunbergiana (Leguminosae) are metabolized to tectorigenin by human intestinal microflora. When tectoridin was orally administered to rats, tectorigenin, but not tectoridin, was detected in urine after beta-glucuronidase hydrolysis. The main metabolite tectorigenin potently inhibited the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction and inhibited in vitro the release of beta-hexosaminidase from RBL-2H3 cells induced by IgE. These results suggest that tectoridin is a prodrug, which can be transformed into the active agent tectorigenin by human intestinal bacteria and can be a candidate for antiallergic agent.