We examined the inhibitory effect of the extract of kakrol extracted by 3 types of solvent (water, 50% and 100% ethanol) on histamine release in human basophilic KU812 cells. The water extract of kakrol flesh showed the strongest inhibitory effect on histamine release as compared with the other extracts. Therefore, we evaluated whether water extract of kakrol flesh had a suppressive effect on development of atopic dermatitis-like lesions in picryl chloride-treated NC/Nga mice. The dietary kakrol flesh water extract alleviated the development of skin lesions in ears accompanied by lower IgE levels and inflammatory cytokines levels in serum. These results indicate that the water extract of kakrol flesh might have therapeutic potential for allergic responses in vitro and in vivo.
Keywords: Kakrol; Momordica dioica Roxb.; atopic dermatitis; histamine.