Histamine Release Inhibitory Activity of Piper nigrum Leaf(Pharmacognosy)

Oral administration of a methanolic extract of Piper nigrum leaf (PN-ext, 50, 200 and 500mg/kg) showed a potent dose-dependent inhibition of dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced cutaneous reaction at 1h [immediate phase response (IPR)] after and 24h [late phase response (LPR)] after DNFB challenge in mice which were passively sensitized with anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE antibody. Ear swelling inhibitory effect of PN-ext (50, 200 and 500mg/kg, per os (p.o.)) on very late phase response (vLPR) in the model mice was significant but weaker than that on IPR. Oral administration of PN-ext (50, 200 and 500mg/kg for 7 d) inhibited picryl chloride (PC)-induced ear swelling in PC sensitized mice. PN-ext exhibited in vitro inhibitory effect on compound 48/80-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells. Two lignans of PN-ext, (-) -cubebin (1) and (-)-3, 4-dimethoxy-3, 4-desmethylenedioxycubebin (2), were identified as major active principles having histamine release inhibitory activity.