Anti-allergic inflammatory activities of compounds of amomi fructus.

Activity-guided isolation of compounds from the fruits of Amomum xanthioides resulted in the purification of fourteen phenolic compounds, 4-hydroxy-benzaldehyde (1), 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (2), 3,5-dimethoxy-4-methylbenzaldehyde (3), syringic aldehyde (4), benzoic acid (5), 3,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid (6), vanillic acid (7), 3-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzoic acid (8), o-vanillic acid (9), phenylacetic acid (10), tyrosol (11), pyrocatechol (12), 1,2,4,5-tetramethoxybenzene (13), and 3,3',5,5'-tetramethoxybiphenyl-4,4'-diol (14). To evaluate the anti-allergic inflammatory activities of these compounds, we examined the inhibitory effects of the isolates (1-14) on histamine release and on the expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-ca and interleukin (IL)-6 genes by using human mast cells. Of the tested compounds, 9, 11, and 13 suppressed histamine release from mast cells, and all isolates attenuated the expressions of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-6 genes in human mast cells.