Full Citation: "The discovery of drugs for the treatment of allergic disease is an important subject in human health. Arctium lappa L. (Compositae) has been used as a traditional medicine in Brazil and throughout Asia and is known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. In this study, the inhibitory effects of Arctium lappa (AL) on degranulation and the release of mediators and inhibition of cys-leukotriene biosynthesis by basophils were investigated. Arctium lappa was selected out of 10.000 herbal extracts in a set-up for high throughput screening in which the degree of degranulation was monitored by the release of beta-hexosaminidase from RBL-2H3 cells. The AL-extract was able to reduce degranulation and biosynthesis of cys-leukotrienes of human basophils in PBMCs significantly (IC50 8.3 and 11.4 microg/ml, respectively). Viability and metabolic activity of the PBMCs were not affected. Although the active component arctiin of AL described in the literature was not able to reduce degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells, a single HPLC-fraction from the AL-extract inhibited the beta-hexosaminidase release (IC50 = 22.2 microg/ml). Topical administration of an aqueous extract of AL (5 mg/ear) on the ear of whey-sensitized mice 4 hours before challenge with whey in the ear inhibited the acute ear swelling by 50% in an in vivo model for CMA. The extract had no effect in this model when administered orally. In conclusion, the active component present in the active HPLC-fraction of the AL-extract is able to significantly reduce the release of inflammatory mediators by the inhibition of degranulation and cys-leukotriene release in vitro and was also able to inhibit acute skin response in mice in vivo, indicating Arctium lappa to be a highly interesting natural component for anti-allergic treatment.betabeta."

To investigate the prebiotic potential of burdock inulin (B-INU), the in vitro and in vivo effects of B-INU on bacterial growth were studied. B-INU significantly stimulated the growth of bifidobacteria in Man-Rogosa-Sharp (MRS) medium, anaerobically. Compared with chicory inulin (C-INU), long-chain inulin (L-INU) and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), 1% (w/v) B-INU promoted the specific growth rate of beneficial bacteria. The decreases of media pH with B-INU were almost the same as that with C-INU and FOS. In vivo, B-INU significantly increased the number of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria (P<0.05) in cecal content. Mice fed with B-INU, C-INU and FOS for 14 days had greater number of cecal beneficial bacteria population than those fed with L-INU for 14 days. In addition, all fructans did not cause any side effects, such as eructation and bloating. Results indicated that inulin extracted from edible burdock showed prebiotic properties that could promote health.