THE INFLUENCE OF HELICHRYSUM ARENARIUM FLOWERS INFUSION ON MAST CELLS DEGRANULATION IN VITRO
Helichrysum arenarium flowers are medical plant raw materials with a high concentration of flavonoids (2.5– 5.0%). As compounds of this group of biologically active substances often possess antiallergic activity, Helichrysum arenarium flowers are a potential antiallergic medicine. The aim is to study an antiallergic activity of Helichrysum arenarium flowers infusion on the model of mast cells degranulation in vitro. Materials and methods. Helichrysum arenarium flowers infusion was made in accordance with the requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Republic of Belarus. Mast cells were obtained from the abdominal cavity of inbred mice weighing 20–25 g. Experimental animals were divided into three groups of 5 individuals in each. The intact group was not subjected to any manipulation for 14 days. The test group was sensitized with the epidermal allergen from the cat's fur. The placebo group was subjected to the same manipulations as the test group, by phosphate buffered saline pH 7.4 for sensitization instead of the allergen. Results and discussion. The addition of Helichrysum arenarium flowers infusion to the mast cells of the intact group and the placebo group did not affect the percentage of the mast cells degranulation (p>0.05), indicating that the animals of the intact group and the placebo group did not have a hypersensitivity to the components of the medicine under investigation. In the presence of Helichrysum arenarium flowers the percentage of the mast cells degranulation of the test group decreased in comparison with the percentage of the mast cells degranulation in the presence of the allergen from 23.6±2.1% to 8.1–16.2% (p<0.05). Semi-effective concentration of Helichrysum arenarium flowers infusion was 1.33±0.04 mg / ml. The stabilizing effect on the mast cells degranulation of the Helichrysum arenarium flowers infusion was statistically significantly lower than the stabilizing effect of the Bidens tripartita herb infusion. Conclusion. Helichrysum arenarium flowers infusion has a pronounced dose-dependent stabilizing effect on the mast cells of male mice in vitro. Nevertheless, the stabilizing effect of Helichrysum arenarium flowers infusion on the mast cells was less pronounced than the stabilizing effect of Bidens tripartita herb infusion.