Preventative treatment and remission of allergic diseases

Abstract

The invention provides the use of at least one plant selected from plants of the family Zingiberaceae in the preparation of a medicament for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of allergic diseases. The plant is optionally selected from the genera Siphonochilus, Kaempferia, Cienkowskia and Cienkowskiella and the species is optionally selected from Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Siphonochilus natalensis, Kaempferia aethiopica, Kaempferia natalensis, Kaempferia ethelae, Cienkowskia aethiopica and Cienkowskiella aethiopica . The allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy.

1 . Use of an extract of at least one plant selected from plants of the family Zingiberaceae in the preparation of a medicament for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of allergic diseases. 
   
   
       2 . Use as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the at least one plant is selected from the genera  Siphonochilus, Kaempferia, Cienkowskia  and  Cienkowskiella.    
   
   
       3 . Use as claimed in  claim 2 , in which the at least one plant is selected from the species  Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Siphonochilus natalensis, Kaempferia aethiopica, Kaempferia natalensis, Kaempferia ethelae, Cienkowskia aethiopica  and  Cienkowskiella aethiopica.    
   
   
       4 . Use as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the extract includes, as an active ingredient, a compound selected from compounds having the structural formula 1, 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     stereoisomers thereof and mixtures of stereoisomers thereof. 
   
   
       5 . Use as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy. 
   
   
       6 . Use as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the extract is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of plant material from the at least one plant. 
   
   
       7 . Use as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  5 , in which the extract is an organic solvent extract obtained by extraction of plant material of the at least one plant with an organic solvent. 
   
   
       8 . Use as claimed in any  claim 7 , in which the organic solvent is an ether selected from diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, t-butyl methyl ether, t-amyl methyl ether and t-butyl ethyl ether. 
   
   
       9 . Use as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the organic solvent is an ester selected from methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and benzyl acetate. 
   
   
       10 . Use as claimed in any one of  claims 6  to  9 , in which the plant material is obtained from roots or rhizomes of the plant. 
   
   
       11 . A composition for use in a method of treatment or prophylaxis of allergic diseases, the composition including an extract of at least one plant selected from plants of the family Zingiberaceae. 
   
   
       12 . A composition as claimed in  claim 11 , in which the at least one plant is selected from the genera  Siphonochilus, Kaempferia, Cienkowskia  and  Cienkowskiella.    
   
   
       13 . A composition as claimed in  claim 12 , in which the at least one plant is selected from the species  Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Siphonochilus natalensis Kaempferia aethiopica Kaempferia natalensis, Kaempferia ethelae, Cienkowskia aethiopica  and  Cienkowskiella aethiopica.    
   
   
       14 . A composition as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  13 , in which the extract includes, as an active ingredient, a compound selected from compounds having the structural formula 1, 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     stereoisomers thereof and mixtures of stereoisomers thereof. 
   
   
       15 . A composition as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  14 , in which the allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy. 
   
   
       16 . A composition as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  15 , in which the extract is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of plant material from the at least one plant. 
   
   
       17 . A composition as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  15 , in which the extract is an organic solvent extract obtained by extraction of plant material of the at least one plant with an organic solvent. 
   
   
       18 . A composition as claimed in any  claim 17 , in which the organic solvent is an ether selected from diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, t-butyl methyl ether, t-amyl methyl ether and t-butyl ethyl ether. 
   
   
       19 . A composition as claimed in  claim 17 , in which the organic solvent is an ester selected from methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and benzyl acetate. 
   
   
       20 . A composition as claimed in any one of  claims 11  to  19 , in which the plant material is obtained from roots or rhizomes of the plant. 
   
   
       21 . Use of an extract of at least one plant selected from plants of the family Zingiberaceae in the preparation of a medicament for use in any one or more of the downregulation of glucocorticoid receptors, the inhibition of phospholipase A2, the downregulation of allergy mediators, the downregulation of cytokines, the inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4, the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase or leukotriene biosynthesis, and the inhibition of specific activity of the NF-κB Transcription Response. 
   
   
       22 . Use as claimed in  claim 21  in which the allergy mediators are selected from prostaglandins and leukotrienes. 
   
   
       23 . Use as claimed in  claim 21  or  claim 22 , in which the cytokines are selected from IL-4, IL-5 and IL-8. 
   
   
       24 . Use as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  23 , in which the at least one plant is selected from the genera  Siphonochilus, Kaempferia, Cienkowskia  and  Cienkowskiella.    
   
   
       25 . Use as claimed in  claim 24 , in which the at least one plant is selected from the species  Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Siphonochilus natalensis, Kaempferia aethiopica, Kaempferia natalensis, Kaempferia ethelae, Cienkowskia aethiopica  and  Cienkowskiella aethiopica.    
   
   
       26 . Use as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  25 , in which the extract includes, as an active ingredient, a compound selected from compounds having the structural formula 1, 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     stereoisomers thereof and mixtures of stereoisomers thereof. 
   
   
       27 . Use as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  26 , in which the allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy. 
   
   
       28 . Use as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  27 , in which the extract is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of plant material from the at least one plant. 
   
   
       29 . Use as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  27 , in which the extract is an organic solvent extract obtained by extraction of plant material of the at least one plant with an organic solvent. 
   
   
       30 . Use as claimed in any  claim 29 , in which the organic solvent is an ether selected from diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, t-butyl methyl ether, t-amyl methyl ether and t-butyl ethyl ether. 
   
   
       31 . Use as claimed in  claim 29 , in which the organic solvent is an ester selected from methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and benzyl acetate. 
   
   
       32 . Use as claimed in any one of  claims 21  to  31 , in which the plant material is obtained from roots or rhizomes of the plant. 
   
   
       33 . Use of a compound selected from compounds having the structural formula 1, 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     stereoisomers thereof and mixtures of stereoisomers thereof in the preparation of a medicament for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of allergic diseases. 
   
   
       34 . Use as claimed in  claim 33 , in which the allergic disease is selected from asthma and atopy.