Biol. Pharm. Bull. 28(9) 1786—1790 (2005)

detoxication and treatment of carbuncle and contusion in Chinese medicine. Several flavonoid derivatives also been isolated from the whole plants, however, there has been no report on the anti-allergic effects of the flowers of I. textori. In a previous study, we found that a 35% EtOH extract (IT) of flowers of I. textori and isolated compounds significantly suppressed the decrease in blood pressure (BP) induced by exogenous platelet activating factor (PAF), which is a mediator of anaphylaxis, inflammation and pruritus. Here we report the inhibitory effects of IT and its principal compounds against compound 48/80 (COM)-induced BP decrease, antigen-induced anaphylaxis in actively sensitized mice (antigen-induced anaphylaxis) and pruritus using our previously reported in vivo assay system.