{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T13:03:41Z","timestamp":1782911021465,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2013,2,25]],"date-time":"2013-02-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1361750400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Pentaherb formula (PHF) has been proven to improve the quality of life of children with atopic dermatitis without side effects. The aim of this study was to elucidate the potential anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities of PHF, Moutan Cortex (Danpi\/DP) and gallic acid (GA) using human basophils (KU812 cells), which are crucial effector cells in allergic inflammation. PHF, DP and GA could significantly suppress the expression of allergic inflammatory cytokine IL-33-upregulated intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and the release of chemokines CCL2, CCL5, CXCL8 and inflammatory cytokine IL-6 from KU812 cells (all p &lt; 0.05). With the combined use of dexamethasone (0.01 \u03bcg\/mL) and GA (10 \u03bcg\/mL), the suppression of ICAM-1 expression and CCL5 and IL-6 release of IL-33-activated KU812 cells were significantly greater than the use of GA alone (all p &lt; 0.05). The suppression of the IL-33-induced activation of intracellular signalling molecules p38 mitogen activated protein kinase, nuclear factor-kB and c-Jun amino-terminal kinase in GA-treated KU812 cells could be the underlying mechanism for the suppression on ICAM-1, chemokines and cytokines. The combined use of dexamethasone with the natural products PHF or DP or GA might therefore enhance the development of a novel therapeutic modality for allergic inflammatory diseases with high potency and fewer side effects.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules18032483","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2013,2,25]],"date-time":"2013-02-25T10:53:32Z","timestamp":1361789612000},"page":"2483-2500","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":53,"title":["Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Allergic Activities of Pentaherb Formula, Moutan Cortex (Danpi) and Gallic Acid"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Kelly","family":"Liu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemical Pathology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong,  Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shuiqing","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"},{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China,  the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ben","family":"Chan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"},{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China,  the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elaine","family":"Wat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"},{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China,  the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Clara","family":"Lau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"},{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China,  the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kam","family":"Hon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Paediatrics, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kwok","family":"Fung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"},{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China,  the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"},{"name":"School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong,  Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ping","family":"Leung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"},{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China,  the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Patrick","family":"Hui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Textiles and Clothing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christopher","family":"Lam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemical Pathology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong,  Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong"},{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chun","family":"Wong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemical Pathology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong,  Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong"},{"name":"Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"},{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China,  the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2013,2,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaci.2011.11.016","article-title":"Advances in allergic skin disease, anaphylaxis, and hypersensitivity reactions to foods, drugs, and insects in 2011","volume":"129","author":"Sicherer","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. 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