Effects of Orengedoku-to and Scutellariae radix extract on aqueous flare elevation induced by intravitreal IL-1alpha in pigmented rabbits

We investigated the effects of Orengedoku-to (huanglian-jie-du-tang in Chinese) and Scutellariae radix extract on experimental aqueous flare elevation in pigmented rabbits. To produce the elevation of aqueous flare in rabbits, interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1alpha) was injected intravitreally. Animals were pretreated with oral administration of 150 g/day of food containing 0.07%, 0.2% or 0.7% (w/w) Orengedoku-to; or 0.02%, 0.07% or 0.2% Scutellariae radix extract for 5 days. The animals were further treated with the same food for 7 days after intravitreal injection of IL-1alpha. Aqueous flare was measured with a laser flare-cell meter. Treatment with 0.2% or 0.7% Orengedoku-to and 0.07% or 0.2% Scutellariae radix extract significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed elevation of aqueous flare induced by IL-1alpha. Thus, orengedoku-to and Scutellariae radix extract have an inhibitory effect on experimental elevation of aqueous flare induced by IL-1alpha in rabbits.