Allergic rhinitis is an allergic inflammation of the nasal airways. It occurs when an allergen, such as pollen, dust, or animal dander (particles of shed skin and hair) is inhaled by an individual with a sensitized immune system.

In such individuals, the allergen triggers the production of the antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE), which binds to mast cells and basophils，and the latter release a number of chemicals (cytokines) including histamine and interleukins, inducing a cascade of inflammatory response in allergy.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a interleukin-17 like cytokine, which can bind with its receptor on target cells and triggers a special response in TH2 T lymphocytes, and is related to asthma and other allergic disorders.

Korean researchers have found that ginsenoside Rg1 can inhibit the release of interkeukins, histamine and IgE to stop the enlargement of its downstream inflammatory responses, exhibiting its superior anti-allergic rhinitis effect. The finding was published on “Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol”, 2013.

The study used ovalbumin (a common allergen in animal experiment) to establish the model of allergic rhinitis in mice, which were then treated with ginsenoside Rg1. Superisingly, Rg1 treatment significantly reduced the level of TSLP and other interleukins (e.g., interleukin-1 beta, and interleukin 4; two important inflammatory mediators in allergy) as well as levels of histamine, IgE and IgG1. Correspondingly, allergic symptoms were markedly alleviated, and the spleen weight and the tissue infiltration of eosinophils and mast cells were also lighter than the control.

The results suggest that ginsenoside Rg1 has a superior anti-allergic rhinitis effects.

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Ginsenoside Rg1 inhibits the TSLP production in allergic rhinitis mice.
Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2013 Dec;35(6):678-86
Authors: Oh HA, Seo JY, Jeong HJ, Kim HM
Abstract
Recent study reports that Korean red ginseng reduces the nasal allergic inflammatory reaction in an allergic murine model. However, the contribution of ginsenoside Rg1 (RG1) and its mechanisms on allergic rhinitis (AR) have not been elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the important activities of RG1 in the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR mice. RG1 significantly reduced the levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and interleukin (IL)-1β compared with the AR control mice. Allergic symptom such as rub scores and biomarkers such as spleen weight, histamine, IgE and IgG1 in the RG1 group were decreased compared with the AR mice. The levels of interferon-γ were enhanced while the levels of IL-4 were reduced in the RG1 group. In the RG1 group, the eosinophils and mast cells infiltration increased by OVA were also decreased. RG1 reduced the levels of inflammation-related protein. RG1 inhibited the caspase-1 activity in nasal mucosa tissue. In addition, RG1 inhibited the production of TSLP and IL-1β and the activations of caspase-1, receptor interacting protein 2, IκB kinase-β and nuclear factor-κB/Rel A in activated HMC-1 cells. Our results indicate that RG1 has the inhibitory effect of TSLP production and caspase-1 activity in AR experimental model.