Immunomodulatory efficacy of Beauty-salt is mediated by the caspase-1/NF-κB/RIP2/MAP kinase pathway in mast cells

Beauty-salt (BS, Mi-salt) is a type of food additive mainly used in Korea. It is composed of solar salt and Impatiens balsamina L. extracts. Here, the present study reports the immunomodulatory efficacy and underlying mechanisms of BS and its active components, ferulic acid (FA) and magnesium (Mg), on the human mast cell line HMC-1. BS significantly suppressed the production and mRNA expression of the proinflammatory cytokines, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-8 in activated HMC-1 cells without cytotoxicity. FA or Mg significantly decreased the production of TSLP and IL-1 beta but not IL-6 and IL-8. In activated mast cells, the pathways of caspase-1, nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B, and receptor-interacting protein 2 (RIP2) were blocked by treatment with BS, FA, or Mg. Furthermore, BS suppressed the activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. The present findings provide new scientific evidence that BS has good immunomodulatory efficacy by down-regulating caspase-1/NF-kappa B/RIP2/MAP kinase pathways.