Abstract: Highly safe cytokine production inhibitors, agents for protecting and promoting liver function, anti-inflammatory agents and immunosuppressants. Brazilian licorice extract and periandrins, which are constituents thereof, have excellent characteristics of showing effects of inhibiting cytokine production and protecting and promoting liver function, an anti-inflammatory effect and an immunosuppressive effect without any harmful side effects. Thus use of Brazilian licorice extract or periandrins as cytokine production inhibitors makes it possible to inhibit inflammations in various diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. These substances are also usable as agents for protecting and promoting liver function, anti-inflammatory agents and immunosuppressants. Moreover, foods, cosmetics, sweeteners and food materials containing Brazilian licorice extract exert the effects as described above.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a method of testing for bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a method of screening for candidate compounds for treating bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a pharmaceutical agent for treating bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The present invention identified genes whose expression levels varied between respiratory epithelial cells that had been stimulated by IL-13 to induce the goblet cell differentiation, and unstimulated respiratory epithelial cells. The respiratory epithelial cells were cultured according to the air interface method. The genes were revealed to be useful as markers for testing for bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and screening for therapeutic agents for such diseases.

Abstract: Highly safe cytokine production inhibitors, agents for protecting and promoting liver function, anti-inflammatory agents and immunosuppressants. Brazilian licorice extract and periandrins, which are constituents thereof, have excellent characteristics of showing effects of inhibiting cytokine production and protecting and promoting liver function, an anti-inflammatory effect and an immunosuppressive effect without any harmful side effects. Thus use of Brazilian licorice extract or periandrins as cytoline production inhibitors makes it possible to inhibit inflammations in various diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. These substances are also usable as agents for protecting and promoting liver function, anti-inflammatory agents and immunosuppressants. Moreover, foods, cosmetics, sweeteners and food materials containing Brazilian licorice extract exert the effects as described above.

Abstract: A diazacycloalkanealkylsulfonamide derivative having the following formula ?I!: ##STR1## and pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds have antiallergic activity with low antihistaminic activity and low toxicity and are useful as an medicament for preventing and treating diseases such as bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, urticaria.