We evaluated the effects of unripe mandarin orange (Citrus unshiu) extract powder (unripe mandarin extract powder [UMEP]) treated with subcritical water on allergic diseases by using animal models. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that subcritical water is a more effective solvent than alcohol and hot water, as it quickly extracted approximately 90% of the functional compounds narirutin (1) and hesperidin (2) from whole fruits. Repeated oral administration of UMEP significantly reversed the peripheral blood flow decline observed during the promotion of allergies after sensitization with the antigen, hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL). UMEP also significantly inhibited compound 48/80-induced scratching behavior in HEL-sensitized mice, which are more sensitive to itching stimuli than are normal mice, without suppressing locomotor activity. In addition, repeated oral administration of UMEP in ovalbumin-challenged guinea pigs significantly suppressed the late phase of nasal airway resistance. This study provides evidence that the subcritical water extract powder of unripe C. unshiu fruit is an effective anti-allergic functional food.
Keywords: anti-allergy; anti-pruritus; anti-rhinitis; hesperidin; narirutin; unripe mandarin.