A flavanone derivative from the Asian medicinal herb (Perilla frutescens) potently suppresses IgE-mediated immediate hypersensitivity reactions.

Perilla frutescens is a dietary leafy herb consumed as a traditional Japanese condiment as well as used for Chinese medicine with anti-inflammatory activity. Here we report a hitherto-unrecognized P. frutescens phytochemical that potently suppresses IgE-mediated type I hypersensitivity reactions. Structural analysis reveals that the purified anti-allergic compound (Perilla-derived methoxyflavanone, PDMF) is identified as 8-hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyflavanone. PDMF significantly inhibits IgE-mediated histamine release from RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells as compared with those seen in known P. frutescens-derived anti-inflammatory polyphenols. We also show that oral administration of PDMF not only suppresses passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, but also prevents allergic rhinitis-like nasal symptoms in a murine model of Japanese cedar pollinosis. Mechanistically, PDMF negatively regulates Akt phosphorylation and intracellular Ca2+ influx, both of which are essential for mast cell secretory granule translocation and its exocytosis upon high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) cross-linking. These results represent PDMF as a new potent anti-allergic phytochemical useful for prevention of IgE-driven hypersensitivity reactions.