Attenuation of allergen-mediated mast cell activation by rosemary extract (Rosmarinus officinalis L.).

Mast cells are immune sentinels and a driving force in both normal and pathological contexts of inflammation, with a prominent role in allergic hypersensitivities. Crosslinking of FcεRI by allergen-bound IgE Abs leads to mast cell degranulation, resulting in an early-phase response and release of newly synthesized pro-inflammatory mediators in the late-phase. The MAPK and NF-κB pathways are established as critical intracellular mechanisms directing mast cell-induced inflammation.