Forsythia fruit

The dried Forsythia fruit has been used since ancient times as an antidote, an anti-inflammatory agent and a diuretic in Japan, Korea and China [9]. In Japan, the dried fruit originating from F. suspensa Vahl or F viridissima Lindley (Oleaceae) is listed in the Japanese Pharmacopeia XIV as crude drugs Forsythiae Fructus . The dried fruit from F koreana Nakai is also used as crude drugs in Korea. On the other hand, the Forsythia leaves are used as health tea for cold in China. 

Four phenylethanoid glycosides, forsythiaside (27), suspensaside (28), acteosidc (1) and P-hydroxyacteoside (29), were isolated from the Forsythia fruit and leaves [39-44]. They are listed in Table 7. 

Phenylethanoid glycosides from Forsythia fruits were assayed for their inhibitory effect on 5-lipoxygenase from rat peritoneal cells [54], Forsythiaside (27), suspensaside (28), acteoside (1) and p-hydroxyacteoside (29) showed a high inhibitory effect with IC50 of 2.50 x 10 M, 7.97 x 10 M, 5..27 x 10 M and 19.3 x 10 M, respectively. 

The anti-inflammetory and anti-asthmatic action of Forsythia fruits and Plantago herbs may be ascribed to the inhibition of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and 5-lipoxygenase by foe phenylethanoid glycosides contained in these herbal medicines. 

CANGZHU (ATRACTYLODES) DAHURIAN ANGELICA (BAIZHI) DITTANY BARK (BAIXIANPI) FORSYTHIA FRUIT (LIANQIAO) GARDEN BURNET (DIYU) HONEYSUCKLE FLOWER (JINYINHUA)... 

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