Immunosuppressive activity of Achillea talagonica on humoral immune responses in experimental animals.

In this study the aqueous extract of Achillea talagonica consisting of a mixture of alkaloids, terpenoids and flavonoids was used. This genus has long been used in Iran for treatment of fever, skin inflammation, asthma and liver ailments. Effects of this plant were studied on humoral antibody responses in BALB/c mice and albino rabbits. Intraperitoneal administration of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg x 7 days in mice prior to immunization with sheep red blood cells, resulted in a significant dose dependent decrease in haemagglutinating antibody (HA) titre. By decreasing the dosage, a significant decrease in HA titre was also observed. In rabbits after intrascapular injection of 0.5 g/kg, in primary response, a significant decrease in anti-HD titre was found, but no change observed in secondary response.     

Evaluation of immunomodulatory potential of Ocimum sanctum seed oil and its possible mechanism of action

The present study investigates the effect of Ocimum sanctum seed oil (OSSO) on some immunological parameters in both non-stressed and stressed animals. An attempt has also been made to explore the possible mechanism of immunomodulatory activity. OSSO (3 ml/kg, ip) produced a significant increase in anti-sheep red blood cells (SRBC) antibody titre and a decrease in percentage histamine release from peritoneal mast cells of sensitized rats (humoral immune responses), and decrease in footpad thickness and percentage leucocyte migration inhibition (LMI) (cell-mediated immune responses). Restraint stress (RS) produced a significant reduction in the anti-SRBC antibody titre, foot pad thickness and percentage LMI (% LMI). The effects of RS on humoral as well as cell-mediated immune responses were effectively attenuated by pretreating the animals with OSSO. Co-administration of diazepam (1 mg/kg, sc), a benzodiazepine (BZD), with OSSO (1 ml/kg, ip) enhanced the effect of OSSO on RS-induced changes in both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Further, flumazenil (5 mg/kg, ip), a central BZD receptor antagonist inhibited the immunomodulatory action of OSSO on RS-induced immune responsiveness. Thus, OSSO appears to modulate both humoral and cell-mediated immune responsiveness and these immunomodulatory effects may be mediated by GABAergic pathways.     

Immunomodulatory effects of aqueous extract of Tridax procumbens in experimental animals

The immunomodulatory properties of ethanol insoluble fraction of aqueous extract of Tridax procumbens Linn. (TPEIF) have been investigated. After intraperitoneal administration of TPEIF in doses of 0.25 and 0.5 g/kg body weight (BW) a significant increase in phagocytic index, leukocyte count and spleenic antibody secreting cells was noticed. Stimulation of humoral immune response was further observed with elevation in heamagglutination antibody titer. Heightened delayed type hypersensitivity reaction suggested convincing evidence for activation of cellular immune system. Protective action of herbal medicine in case of anaphylactic shock was also studied. In addition, elicitation of specific antibody titer against tetanus toxoid (TT) challenge was measured in order to explore the possible use as adjuvant along with clinical vaccination program to reduce number of non-responders. The results suggest that TPEIF influences both humoral as well as cell mediated immune system vis-a-vis assists in genesis of improved antibody response against specific clinical antigen.     

Immunosuppressive effect of the aqueous extract of Kalanchoe pinnata in mice

The aqueous extract of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves was found to cause significant inhibition of cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in mice. The spleen cells of animals pre-treated with K. pinnata showed a decreased ability to proliferate in response to both mitogen and to antigen in vitro. Treatment with K. pinnata also impaired the ability of mice to mount a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) to ovalbumin. The intravenous and topical routes of administration were the most effective by almost completely abolishing the DTH reaction. The intraperitoneal and oral routes reduced the reaction by 73% and 47% of controls, respectively. The specific antibody responses to ovalbumin were also significantly reduced by treatment. Together, these observations indicate that the aqueous extract of K. pinnata possesses an immunosuppressive activity.     

Immunostimulant effects of Capparis zeylanica Linn. leaves

The present study was undertaken to explore the immunomodulatory activity of ethanolic and water extracts of Capparis zeylanica Linn. (family: Capparidaceae) leaves on neutrophil adhesion test, humoral response to sheep red blood cells, delayed-type hypersensitivity, phagocytic activity and cyclophosphamide-induced myelosuppression. Pre-treatment of water extract (300 mg/kg, oral) of Capparis zeylanica evoked a significant increase in neutrophil adhesion to nylon fibres. The augmentation of humoral immune response to sheep red blood cells by ethanolic and water extracts (150-300 mg/kg) is evidenced by increase in antibody titres in mice. A dose-related increase in both primary and secondary antibody titre was observed. Oral administration of ethanolic and water extracts of Capparis zeylanica leaves, at doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg in mice, dose dependently potentiated the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction induced by sheep red blood cells. Immunomodulatory activity was also assessed by serological and haematological tests. Capparis zeylanica extracts prevented myelosuppression in mice treated with cyclophosphamide drug. The study comprised the acute toxicity and preliminary phytochemical screening of the ethanol and water extracts.     

川芎嗪对免疫低下小鼠免疫功能的影响

目的:探讨川芎嗪(tetramethylpyrazine,TTMP)对免疫功能低下小鼠的免疫调节作用。方法:将川芎嗪按20mg/kg、40mg/kg和80mg/kg三种剂量,连续给小鼠腹腔注射10天,于第8、9天给小鼠腹腔注射环磷酰胺(cyclophosphamide,CY)以造成小鼠免疫功能低下,观察川芎嗪对免疫低下小鼠免疫器官重量指数、腹腔巨噬细胞吞噬率与吞噬指数、T淋巴细胞酯酶阳性率和血清溶血素HC50值的影响。结果:川芎嗪能显著拮抗环磷酰胺所致免疫功能低下小鼠的免疫器官重量减轻,增加小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞的吞噬百分率及吞噬指数,明显促进T淋巴细胞酯酶阳性率,且能使血清溶血素含量显著增加。结论:川芎嗪对环磷酰胺所致小鼠免疫功能低下具有较好的拮抗作用。     

附子酸性多糖提高免疫低下小鼠免疫功能的实验研究

目的观察附子酸性多糖对环磷酰胺所致免疫低下小鼠免疫功能的影响。方法采用植物化学方法得到附子酸性多糖,以灌胃和腹腔注射2种方式给药,观察免疫低下小鼠的胸腺、脾脏指数,腹腔巨噬细胞吞噬功能,血清溶血素,淋巴细胞转化率,自然杀伤细胞活性以及外周血白细胞计数等多项指标,与对照组比较评价附子酸性多糖对免疫低下小鼠细胞和体液免疫功能的影响。结果附子酸性多糖可显著提高正常小鼠和免疫低下小鼠的脾脏和胸腺指数,提高小鼠的腹腔巨噬细胞吞噬功能和抗体产生能力,促进淋巴细胞增殖,增强自然杀伤细胞活性,并且可以显著提高白细胞数量(P<0.05或P<0.01)。腹腔注射较灌胃给药的效果更为明显(P<0.01)。结论附子酸性多糖可以显著提高免疫低下小鼠体液免疫和细胞免疫功能,并可减轻由于环磷酰胺引起的白细胞降低,具有减轻化疗药的毒副作用。且不同给药途径可影响其疗效。附子酸性多糖具有广阔的开发应用前景。     

Long-term oral administration of ginseng extract modulates humoral immune response and spleen cell functions

Ginseng radix (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is a popular herbal medicine in Oriental countries. We investigated the effect of long-term oral administration of ginseng extract on the antigen-specific antibody response. Male BALB/c mice were treated orally for 30 consecutive days with 2 g/kg of a 50% ethanol extract of ginseng root. Mice treated with ginseng and immunized with ovalbumin (OVA), resulting in an eight-fold increase in titers of anti-OVA immunoglobulin (Ig)G in the serum compared to the group receiving OVA immunization without ginseng treatment; the level of IgG was also significantly elevated in the mice treated with ginseng and immunized with OVA. Mice treated with ginseng without OVA immunization exhibited significantly reduced IgG and IgA production by spleen cells. However, IgG production was not affected in mice treated with ginseng and OVA immunization in spleen cells. Interleukin (IL)-2, interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-4 secretion by spleen cells from either ginseng-treated mice or OVA-immunized mice were down-regulated compared to that in the control group; while the production of IL-10 was unchanged. The percentage of CD8+ cells was significantly reduced in spleen cells from ginseng-treated, OVA-immunized mice. Thus, long-term oral administration of ginseng extract appears to potentiate humoral immune response but suppress spleen cell functions.     

参竹精片协同戊巴比妥钠对小鼠睡眠及5-HT的影响

[目的]观察参竹精片对睡眠的影响。[方法]选昆明小鼠随机分为正常对照组、参竹精片0.5、0.25、0.125 g/kg组,分别单次灌胃给药和连续7 d给药,末次给药后2 h,各组小鼠分别以30 mg/kg(阈下剂量)和50 mg/kg(阈剂量)腹腔注射戊巴比妥钠,观察小鼠入睡时间、入睡率及睡眠时间,测定脑干组织5-羟色胺(5-HT)、5-羟基吲哚乙酸(5-HIAA)含量。[结果]与正常组比较,单次灌胃给药和连续7 d给药,参竹精片可明显增加戊巴比妥钠(阈下剂量)致小鼠的入睡率(0.5 g/kg,P0.05),减少戊巴比妥钠(阈剂量)致小鼠的入睡时间(P0.01),延长睡眠时间(P0.01),增加脑干组织5-HT含量(P0.05)。[结论]参竹精片可促进脑组织分泌5-HT,减少入睡时间、提高入睡率、延长睡眠时间,具有一定改善睡眠的作用。     

Immunosuppressive properties of an ethyl acetate fraction from Euphorbia royleana

The objective of the study was to investigate the activity of the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction of Euphorbia royleana latex on cellular and humoral-mediated immune responses and phagocytic function of the cells of the reticuloendothelial system in mice. Oral administration of EA at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg p.o. in mice with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as an antigen-inhibited both the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction and the production of circulating antibody titre. Reduction of CD4+ T cell counts in the peripheral whole blood and the neutrophil counts in pleural exudates of the animals treated with EA was observed by flowcytometric analysis. Process of phagocytosis was also inhibited in in vivo and in vitro experimental test models. The oral LD50 in both rats and mice was more than 2.5 g/kg body weight.