Anti-anaphylactic properties of Thonningia sanguinea.

The anti-anaphylactic properties of extracts of THONNINGIA SANGUINEA, a plant used prophylactically against asthma were investigated using experimental anaphylaxis in the guinea pig. The results show that when administered orally, aqueous extract of the plant material inhibited anaphylactic contractions in isolated ileal pieces, reduced the sensitivity of ileal pieces to exogenous histamine, reduced the amount of histamine and mepyramine-resistant spasmogens released anaphylactically from lung tissues, and reduced the total histamine content of the lung. These properties could be responsible for the prophylactic action of the plant preparation.