Syosaiko-to and saiboku-to (Chinese-Japanese herbal medicine) suppress the release of arachidonic acid metabolites from cultured porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

Abstract The influences of Syosaiko-to and Saiboku-to, traditional Chinese-Japanese medicines, on the arachidonic acid metabolism of porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PPAEC) in culture were investigated. 6-keto-PGF 1α , a stable end product of prostacyclin, released by PPAEC during a 48 h incubation period with 1000 μg ml of Syosaiko-to or Saiboku-to was significantly decreased. Analysis of the eicosanoid profile by high performance liquid chromatography revealed that both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase derivatives were released in smaller than usual proportions from PPAEC during 24 h incubation periods with 500 μg ml of Syosaiko-to or Saiboku-to. Clinically, Syosaiko-to is used for chronic hepatitis and Saiboku-to is prescribed for bronchial asthma. The experimental findings could explain the anti-inflammatory effect of Syosaiko-to and Saiboku-to from the perspective of their influences on arachidonic acid metabolic activity associated with PPAEC.