Anti-allergic and anti-microbial activities of some Thai crops

Abstract

Thirteen Thai crops including banana, okra, jackfruit, germinated rice, rambutan, durian, jampadah, huasa potato,tamarind, coconut, mango, fan palm fruit and dioscorea tuber were tested for anti-allergic effect using RBL-2H3 cells andanti-microbial activity. These 13 crops, some of which included different parts, e.g. skin, flesh, and seed, were extracted withfour solvents separately [(95% ethanol (EtOH), 50% EtOH, water (W) and hot water (HW)], respectively, to obtain 112extracts. Among these extracts, mango seed in 50% EtOH possessed the highest anti-allergic activity against antigen-inducedb-hexosaminidase release as a marker of degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells with an IC50 value of 7.5±0.8 mg/ml, followed bybanana (W, IC50 = 13.5±2.4 mg/ml), okra (W, IC50 = 13.6±3.1 mg/ml), jampadah skin (HW, IC50 = 13.8±3.9 mg/ml), tamarindseed coat (HW, IC50 = 14.2±3.1 mg/ml), jampadah flesh (W, IC50 = 14.6±3.1 mg/ml); whereas other crops possessed IC50values from 21.5->100 mg/ml. Moreover, the plants showing high anti-allergic effects were also possessed marked antibacterialactivity. Rambutan peel, mango peel, mango seed and tamarind seed coat exhibited appropriate anti-bacterialactivity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with MIC values ranging from 250-2,000 mg/ml, but did not show any effect towards Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. This study indicates that these Thaicrops may have potential as functional foods and neutraceuticals for treatment of allergy, allergy-related diseases and somebacterial infections.

Keywords

• RBL-2H3 cells
• anti-allergic activity
• anti-microbial activity
• Thai crops