Inhibitory effect of fulvic acid extracted from Canadian Sphagnum peat on chemical mediator release by RBL-2H3 and KU812 cells

Fulvic acid (FA) was extracted and purified from Canadian Sphagnum peat (CP-FA) and characterized by using an element analysis meter, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, and C-13-nuclear magnetic resonance (C-13-NMR) spectroscopy. To investigate the antiallergic effect of CP-FA, we incubated rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells with 0.001-10.0 mu g/ml of CP-FA and determined the fl-hexosaminidase release inhibition at different response stages. The intracellular calcium [Ca2+](i) level was also determined by using Fluo 3-AM, a calcium-specific fluorescent probe, and the cytotoxicity of CP-FA was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The results revealed that RBL-2H3 cells incubated for 48 h with 0.001-10.0 mu g/ml of CP-FA did not show any decreased viability. CP-FA inhibited the fl-hexosaminidase release by IgE-sensitized, antigen-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells at the antigen-antibody binding stage and the antibody-receptor binding stage. CP-FA also inhibited histamine release from A23187 plus PMA- or compound 48/80-stimulated KU812 cells. Furthermore, there was a decrease in the intracellular [Ca2+](i) level in IgE-sensitized cells incubated with CP-FA and stimulated with antigen. Our results show that CP-FA may be useful for the treatment or prevention of allergic diseases.