Anti-allergic effect of kakkonto by regulating intestinal mucosal immunity through the induction of regulatory T cells in the colon

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25460891
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: Yamamoto Takeshi 富山大学, 和漢医薬学総合研究所, 助教 (70316181)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HAYASHI SHUUSAKU 富山大学, 和漢医薬学総合研究所, 助教 (10548217)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 東洋医学 / 食物アレルギー / 漢方薬 / 葛根湯 / 腸管粘膜免疫系 / 制御性T細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The number of patients with food allergy has dramatically increased. Although satisfactory drug therapies for food allergy are not available, we found that kakkonto, a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, suppressed the occurrence of allergic symptoms in a food allergy mouse model. Recently, it has been reported that intestinal mucosal immunity plays an important role in food allergy. Thus, we investigated whether kakkonto could regulate intestinal mucosal immunity of the colon. We demonstrated that kakkonto significantly increased the proportion of regulatory T cells in the colon. The induction of regulatory T cells in the colon as a novel mechanism underlying the therapeutic action of kakkonto could be utilized for the development of a novel anti-food allergy drug.

Free Research Field

消化管生理学、免疫学、薬理学