Activation of a mouse macrophage cell line by acemannan: the major carbohydrate fraction from Aloe vera gel

An evaluation of the biological and toxicological properties of Aloe barbadensis (miller), Aloe vera

Aloe barbadensis (Miller), Aloe vera, has a long history of use as a topical and oral therapeutic. The plant is the source of two products, gel and latex, which are obtained from its fleshy leaves. Aloe vera products contain multiple constituents with potential biological and toxicological activities, yet the active components elude definition. Ingestion of Aloe vera is associated with diarrhea, electrolyte imbalance, kidney dysfunction, and conventional drug interactions; episodes of contact dermatitis, erythema, and phototoxicity have been reported from topical applications. This review examines the botany, physical and chemical properties, and biological activities of the Aloe vera plant.

Botanical polysaccharides: macrophage immunomodulation and therapeutic potential

Botanical polysaccharides exhibit a number of beneficial therapeutic properties, and it is thought that the mechanisms involved in these effects are due to the modulation of innate immunity and, more specifically, macrophage function. In this review, we summarize our current state of understanding of the macrophage modulatory effects of botanical polysaccharides isolated from a wide array of different species of flora, including higher plants, mushrooms, lichens and algae. Overall, the primary effect of botanical polysaccharides is to enhance and/or activate macrophage immune responses, leading to immunomodulation, anti-tumor activity, wound-healing and other therapeutic effects. Furthermore, botanical and microbial polysaccharides bind to common surface receptors and induce similar immunomodulatory responses in macrophages, suggesting that evolutionarily conserved polysaccharide structural features are shared between these organisms. Thus, the evaluation of botanical polysaccharides provides a unique opportunity for the discovery of novel therapeutic agents and adjuvants that exhibit beneficial immunomodulatory properties.

Identification of optimal molecular size of modified Aloe polysaccharides with maximum immunomodulatory activity

Polysaccharides isolated from the gel of Aloe species have been known to have diverse biological activities, including immunomodulatory and antitumor activities. The molecular size-immunomodulatory activity relationship of modified Aloe polysaccharide (MAP) was examined in this study. Crude MAP (G2E1) was prepared from the gel of Aloe vera that was partially digested with cellulase. Proteins in crude MAP were removed by passage through a DEAE-Sephacel column, and then the protein-free MAP (G2E1D) was further separated into three fractions, G2E1DS3 molecular weight (MW > or = 400 KDa), G2E1DS2 (5 KDa < or = MW < or = 400 KDa), G2E1DS1 (MW < or = 5 KDa), by Sephacryl column chromatography and ultrafiltration. Immunomodulatory activities of MAP preparations were examined on a mouse macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7 cells, and in ICR strain of mouse implanted with sarcoma 180 cells. We found that polysaccharides between 400 and 5 KDa exhibit the most potent macrophage-activating activity as determined by increased cytokine production, nitric oxide release, expression of surface molecules, and phagocytic activity. In accordance with the in vitro activity, polysaccharides between 400 and 5 KDa also exhibited the most potent antitumor activity in vivo.

Isolation and characterization of structural components of Aloe vera L. leaf pulp

The clear pulp, also known as inner gel, of Aloe vera L. leaf is widely used in various medical, cosmetic and nutraceutical applications. Many beneficial effects of this plant have been attributed to the polysaccharides present in the pulp. However, discrepancies exist regarding the composition of pulp polysaccharide species and an understanding of pulp structure in relation to its chemical composition has been lacking. Thus, we examined pulp structure, isolated structural components and determined their carbohydrate compositions along with analyzing a partially purified pulp-based product (Acemannan hydrogel) used to make Carrisyn hydrogel wound dressing. Light and electron microscopy showed that the pulp consisted of large clear mesophyll cells with a diameter as large as 1000 microm. These cells were composed of cell walls and cell membranes along with a very limited number of degenerated cellular organelles. No intact cellular organelles were found in mesophyll cells. Following disruption of pulp by homogenization, three components were isolated by sequential centrifugation. They were thin clear sheets, microparticles and a viscous liquid gel, which corresponded to cell wall, degenerated cellular organelles and liquid content of mesophyll cells based on morphological and chemical analysis. These three components accounted for 16.2% (+/-3.8), 0.70% (+/-0) and 83.1% of the pulp on a dry weight basis. The carbohydrate composition of each component was distinct; liquid gel contained mannan, microparticles contained galactose-rich polysaccharide(s) and cell walls contained an unusually high level of galacturonic acid (34%, w/w; Gal A). The same three components were also found in Acemannan Hydrogel with mannan as the predominant component. Thus, different pulp structural components are associated with different polysaccharides and thus may potentially be different functionally. These findings may help lay a basis for further studies and development of better controlled processing methods and applications for this well-accepted medicinal plant.

Fractionation of Aloe vera L. inner gel, purification and molecular profiling of activity

Products derived from the inner gel of the Aloe vera L. plant have demonstrated multiple clinical activities, and are used routinely to accelerate wound healing. However, typical of natural products, the complex nature of Aloe vera gels may contribute to diverse pharmacologic activities. Our focus on the hematopoietic activities of Aloe vera extracts is extended by these functional studies, which used purified fractions from Aloe vera gel and included a preliminary organ-specific in vitro molecular profile. Studies using a >99% pure carbohydrate fraction from Aloe vera extracts revealed increased hematopoietic and hematologic activity compared to the starting material. In addition, this fraction differentially regulated liver and lung cytokine mRNA levels, resulting in significant increases in message for hematopoietic cytokines [granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and stem cell factor (SCF)]. This profile of activity differed from another fraction obtained from Aloe vera, suggesting the potential for diverse pharmacologic activity. The molecular studies were undertaken using co-cultures of organ slices to limit the amount of purified material required. In summary, these studies revealed significant hematopoietic activity by both pharmacologic and molecular analysis using a >99% pure carbohydrate fraction from Aloe vera gels.

A dose-response study with the feed enzyme beta-mannanase in broilers provided with corn-soybean meal based diets in the absence of antibiotic growth promoters

An experiment was designed to assess the effects of graded levels of beta-mannanase on performance and body weight uniformity of male broilers provided with diets based on corn and soybean meal and devoid of antibiotic growth promoters or coccidiostats. Four dietary treatments contained 0, 50, 80, and 110 MU of Hemicell/ ton (where 1 MU = 10(6) enzyme activity units, 100 MU/ton is manufacturer's recommendation). Each treatment contained 15 pens with 40 birds/pen. Individual bird weights were determined on d 0, 21, and 42. From 21 to 42 d of age, feed intake for the 80 MU/ton treatment was significantly greater than the 50 MU/ton treatment. beta-Mannanase inclusion at 80 or 110 MU/ton induced improvements (P < 0.05) in weight gain (3.9 to 4.8%) and feed efficiency (3.5 to 3.8%) over the control, whereas inclusion of 50 MU/ton resulted in no significant benefit. There were no significant differences between 80 or 110 MU/ton. The experiment demonstrated that dietary inclusion of beta-mannanase at approximately 50 MU/ton is not sufficient for maximum response. Inclusion at 80 MU/ ton improved broiler gains and feed conversion and increasing to 110 MU/ton resulted in no significant additional response.

Evaluation and comparison of commercially available Aloe vera L. products using size exclusion chromatography with refractive index and multi-angle laser light scattering detection

Raw materials supplied as Aloe vera L. (sometimes referred to as Aloe barbadensis) samples often contain different composition of low and high molecular weight components when analyzed by size exclusion chromatography. One major reason for variable compositions of commercial A. vera L. materials is that they are produced by different manufacturing techniques. Consistent composition of matter based upon a given standard has been difficult to define. In addition, the method of quantifying and characterization of these commercially available materials has not been agreed upon within the industry. The end user, whether a researcher, a manufacturer, a marketing arm of industry or the consumer, should know that they are receiving a consistent product. A blind study of 32 various A. vera L. samples from different manufacturers, and a prepared sample of fresh A. vera L. gel with the commercial, biologic drug Acemannan Immunostimulanttrade mark, were analyzed for content of high molecular weight (polysaccharides) material by size exclusion chromatography with refractive index detection (SEC/RI) and SEC/RI coupled with multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) detection. Results from the SEC/RI analysis showed significant variation in the high molecular weight content, and the MALLS analysis also showed significant variation versus SEC/RI. In addition, HPLC analysis of the anthraquinone content showed that all samples contained significantly less than that of the raw, unwashed aloe gel. The variation of results from all analysis is attributed to differing methods in which the samples were processed by the different manufacturers.

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral aloe vera gel for active ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

The herbal preparation, aloe vera, has been claimed to have anti-inflammatory effects and, despite a lack of evidence of its therapeutic efficacy, is widely used by patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

AIM

To perform a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the efficacy and safety of aloe vera gel for the treatment of mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis.

METHODS

Forty-four evaluable hospital out-patients were randomly given oral aloe vera gel or placebo, 100 mL twice daily for 4 weeks, in a 2 : 1 ratio. The primary outcome measures were clinical remission (Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index </= 2), sigmoidoscopic remission (Baron score </= 1) and histological remission (Saverymuttu score </= 1). Secondary outcome measures included changes in the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (improvement was defined as a decrease of >/= 3 points; response was defined as remission or improvement), Baron score, histology score, haemoglobin, platelet count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and albumin.

RESULTS

Clinical remission, improvement and response occurred in nine (30%), 11 (37%) and 14 (47%), respectively, of 30 patients given aloe vera, compared with one (7%) [P = 0.09; odds ratio, 5.6 (0.6-49)], one (7%) [P = 0.06; odds ratio, 7.5 (0.9-66)] and two (14%) [P < 0.05; odds ratio, 5.3 (1.0-27)], respectively, of 14 patients taking placebo. The Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index and histological scores decreased significantly during treatment with aloe vera (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively), but not with placebo. Sigmoidoscopic scores and laboratory variables showed no significant differences between aloe vera and placebo. Adverse events were minor and similar in both groups of patients.

CONCLUSION

Oral aloe vera taken for 4 weeks produced a clinical response more often than placebo; it also reduced the histological disease activity and appeared to be safe. Further evaluation of the therapeutic potential of aloe vera gel in inflammatory bowel disease is needed.

Evaluation of antioxidant potential of aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) extracts

The polysaccharide and flavonoid concentrations of two-, three-, and four-year-old Aloe vera were determined, and their antioxidant activities were evaluated compared to BHT and alpha-tocopherol by the DPPH radical scavenging method and the linoleic acid system at 100 microg of soluble solids per mL of ethanol. The results showed that three-year-old Aloe vera contained significantly higher levels of polysaccharides and flavonoids than two- and four-year-old Aloe vera, and no significant differences in flavonoid levels were found between three- and four-year-old Aloe vera. All the aloe extracts showed significant antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of Aloe vera extracts and reference compounds followed the order: three-year-old Aloe vera > BHT > four-year-old Aloe vera > alpha-tocopherol > two-year-old Aloe vera. The three-year-old extract exhibited the strongest radical scavenging activity of 72.19%, which is significantly higher than that of BHT at 70.52% and alpha-tocopherol at 65.20%. These data suggest that the growth stage plays a vital role in the composition and antioxidant activity of Aloe vera.

Beneficial Effect of β-Mannanase Feed Enzyme on Performance of Chicks Challenged with Eimeria sp. and Clostridium perfringens

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of a beta-mannanase feed enzyme on the performance of broiler chicks subject to a necrotic enteritis disease challenge model involving oral inoculation of Eimeria sp. and Clostridium pefringens. Beta-mannanase is known to improve productive performance when added to poultry and swine diets. In both experiments, disease challenge in the absence of feed additives demonstrated significant reductions in performance as measured by weight gain, feed conversion, and the incidence of coccidial lesion scores. Significant mortality was also observed in challenged groups in Experiment 1. The disease challenge model was therefore judged as highly effective. Additions of a commonly used antibiotic, bacitracin methylene disalicilate (BMD), and coccidiostat, salinomycin, were highly effective in partially counteracting negative effects of the disease challenge. In both experiments, addition of beta-mannanase significantly improved performance and reduced lesion scores in disease-challenged groups. The degree of improvement was somewhat less than that afforded by a combination of BMD and salinomycin in Experiment 1 but was not different from that afforded by BMD alone in Experiment 2. We conclude that the beta-mannanase enzyme can play a role in circumstances where the use of antibiotics is not desired.

Enhancement of repopulation and hematopoiesis of bone marrow cells in irradiated mice by oral administration of PG101, a water-soluble extract from Lentinus lepideus

PG101 is a water-soluble extract from Lentinus lepideus. It is a potential biological response modifier that activates selective cytokines in vitro, mainly by controlling cellular transcription factor NF-kappaB. Effects of PG101 were tested on bone marrow cells in irradiated mice. Mice were irradiated with a dose of 6 Gy and were given PG101 by gavages daily for 24 days. In PG101-treated mice, the number of colony-forming cells, including colony-forming units (CFU)-granulocytes/macrophages (GM) and erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E), were increased to almost the levels seen in nonirradiated control as early as 8 days after irradiation. Two-color flow cytometric analysis using antibodies to ER-MP12 and ER-MP20 suggested that in the bone marrow cell population, PG101 increased the number of granulocytes (ER-MP12(-)20(med)) and myeloid progenitors (ER-MP12(+)20(+)). Analysis of surface c-Kit and Gr-1 proteins in bone marrow cells indicated that PG101 might induce differentiation of progenitor cells to granulocytes and/or proliferation of the committed cells. Lastly, oral administration of PG101 highly increased serum levels of GM-CSF, IL-6, and IL-1beta. Interestingly, the level of TNF-alpha was elevated by irradiation in control mice, but was maintained at the background level in PG101-treated mice, suggesting that PG101 might effectively suppress TNF-alpha-related pathologic conditions. Our results strongly suggest the great potential of PG101 as an immune enhancer during radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.

Bioactive polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicine herbs as anticancer adjuvants

PURPOSE OF STUDY

To review the nature, extent, bioactivities, and clinical application of polysaccharides in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) especially as adjuvants in cancer treatment.

METHODOLOGY

Literature review.

FINDINGS

Many fungal- and plant-derived bioactive polysaccharides with a broad range of immunomodulatory activities are found in TCM. Some such polysaccharides have been developed into drugs and show clinical efficacy in controlled trials while the majority of such compounds remain as nutraceuticals with only preliminary research. Such polysaccharides are generally nontoxic and possess other bioactivities such as inducing differentiation, stimulating hematopoiesis, antimetastasis, and antiangiogenesis, which make them ideal adjuvants in modern cancer therapy.

CONCLUSION

Bioactive polysaccharides occur extensively in TCM herbs and are the basis of potentially useful application of TCM as an adjuvant in cancer therapies.

The effect of linarin on LPS-induced cytokine production and nitric oxide inhibition in murine macrophages cell line RAW264.7

The herb, Chrysanthemum zawadskii var, latilobum commomly known as Gu-Jul-Cho in Korea, used in traditional medicine to treat pneumonia, bronchitis, cough, common cold, pharyngitis, bladder-related disorders, gastroenteric disorders, and hypertension. Linarin is the main active compound and the biological mechanisms of its activity are unclear. It is believed that effects of this herb may be exerted through the pluripotent effectors of linarin due to its ability to treat a variety of afflictions. In this study, the effects of linarin on the mouse macrophages cell line, RAW 264.7, were investigated. It was found that linarin could activate macrophages by producing cytokines. Monocytes and tissue macrophages produce at least two groups of protein mediators of inflammation, interleukin 1 (IL-1) and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Recent studies have shown that TNF and IL-1 modulate the inflammatory function of endothelial cells, leukocytes, and fibroblasts. TNF-alpha production by macrophages treated with linarin occured in a dose dependent manner. However, IL-1 production was largely unaffected by this natural product. This study demonstrated the ability of linarin to activate macrophages both directly and indirectly. Linarin also affect both cytokine production and nitric oxide inhibition, in addition to the expression of some surface molecules. Nitric oxide (NO), derived from L-argin-ine, is produced by two forms(constitutive and inducible) of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The NO produced in large amounts by inducible NOS is known to be responsible for the vasodilation and hypotension observed in septic shock. Linarin was found to inhibit NO production in the LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. Linarin may be a useful candidate as a new drug for treating endotoxemia and the inflammation accompanied by NO overproduction. The linarin-treated total lymphocytes exhibited cytotoxicity in a dose dependent manner between 20 microg/ml and 40 microg/ml. These results suggest that linarin may function through macrophage activation.

Reduction in the incidence of alveolar osteitis in patients treated with the SaliCept patch, containing Acemannan hydrogel

PURPOSE

In the present study, we compared the incidence of alveolar osteitis (AO) in patients treated with either clindamycin-soaked Gelfoam (Pharmacia and Upjohn Co, Kalamazoo, MI) or SaliCept Patches (Carrington Laboratories, Inc, Irving, TX). The SaliCept Patch is a freeze-dried pledget that contains Acemannan Hydrogel (Carrington Laboratories) obtained from the clear inner gel of Aloe vera L.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective evaluation was performed of the records of 587 patients (1,031 sockets) whose extraction sites had been treated with clindamycin-soaked Gelfoam. A prospective trial was conducted in which 607 patients (1,064 sockets) had 2 SaliCept Patches placed immediately after extraction. The same surgeon treated all patients.

RESULTS

Analysis restricted to mandibular third molar sites showed that 78 of 975 sites (8.0%) in the Gelfoam group developed AO, whereas only 11 of 958 sites (1.1%) in the SaliCept group developed AO (P <.0001). Further analysis of all extraction sites revealed that the incidence of AO in the Gelfoam group was 7.6% compared with 1.1% in the SaliCept-treated group (P <.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The study results suggest that the SaliCept Patch significantly reduces the incidence of AO compared with clindamycin-soaked Gelfoam.

Acemannan purified from Aloe vera induces phenotypic and functional maturation of immature dendritic cells

Acemannan, a major carbohydrate fraction of Aloe vera gel, has been known to have antiviral and antitumoral activities in vivo through activation of immune responses. The present study was set out to define the immunomodulatory activity of acemannan on dendritic cells (DCs), which are the most important accessory cells for the initiation of primary immune responses. Immature DCs were generated from mouse bone marrow (BM) cells by culturing in a medium supplemented with GM-CSF and IL-4, and then stimulated with acemannan, sulfated acemannan, and LPS, respectively. The resultant DCs were examined for phenotypic and functional properties. Phenotypic analysis for the expression of class II MHC molecules and major co-stimulatory molecules such as B7-1, B7-2, CD40 and CD54 confirmed that acemannan could induce maturation of immature DCs. Functional maturation of immature DCs was supported by increased allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and IL-12 production. The differentiation-inducing activity of acemannan was almost completely abolished by chemical sulfation. Based on these results, we propose that the adjuvant activity of acemannan is at least in part due to its capacity to promote differentiation of immature DCs.

Wound care products: how to choose

Working in PPS means that agencies and clinicians must determine which wound care regimen will reach the intended patient goal in the most cost-effective way in terms of supply and visit cost. This article outlines the specific rationale clinicians can use when assessing wounds and choosing the dressing(s) that are appropriate to meet patient and agency goals. Using the performance-based model approach, clinicians learn how to choose dressings based on product price versus treatment costs.

Induction of apoptosis in human leukaemic cell lines K562, HL60 and U937 by diethylhexylphthalate isolated from Aloe vera Linne

We investigated the effect of diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) from Aloe vera Linne on the apoptosis of human leukaemic cell lines K562, HL60 and U937 to examine its pharmacological activity. At a level of 10 microg mL(-1) DEHP a significant anti-leukaemic effect was observed for all three cell lines, as measured by clonogenic assay. After treatment with 10 microg mL(-1) DEHP for 4 h, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometric analysis confirmed the occurrence of apoptosis. These results indicate that DEHP isolated from Aloe vera Linne has a potent antileukaemic effect, and thus represents a new type of pharmacological activity with respect to human leukaemic cells.

Chemomodulatory action of Aloe vera on the profiles of enzymes associated with carcinogen metabolism and antioxidant status regulation in mice

The effect of two doses (30 microl and 60 microl/day/mice daily for 14 days) of the fresh leaf pulp extract of Aloe vera was examined on carcinogen-metabolizing phase-I and phase-II enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, glutathione content, lactate dehydrogenase and lipid peroxidation in the liver of mice. The modulatory effect of the pulp extract was also examined on extrahepatic organs (lung, kidney and forestomach) for the activities of glutathione S-transferase, DT-diophorase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. The positive control mice were treated with butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). Significant increases in the levels of acid soluble sulfhydryl (-SH) content, NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, glutathione S-transferase (GST), DT-diaphorase (DTD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GR) were observed in the liver. Aloe vera significantly reduced the levels of cytochrome P450 and cytochrome b5. Thus, Aloe vera is clearly an inducer of phase-II enzyme system. Treatment with both doses of Aloe caused a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) formation and the activity of lactate dehydrogenase in the liver, suggesting its role in protection against prooxidant-induced membrane and cellular damage. The microsomal and cytosolic protein was significantly enhanced by Aloe vera, indicating the possibility of its involvement in the induction of protein synthesis. BHA, an antioxidant compound, provided the authenticity of our assay protocol and response of animals against modulator. The pulp extract was effective in inducing GST, DTD, SOD and catalase as measured in extrahepatic organs. Thus, besides liver, other organs (lung, kidney and forestomach) were also influenced favorably by Aloe vera in order to detoxify reactive metabolites, including chemical carcinogens and drugs.

Anti-leukaemic and anti-mutagenic effects of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate isolated from Aloe vera Linne

Extracts of Aloe vera Linne have been found to exhibit cytotoxicity against human tumour cell lines. This study examines the anti-tumour effects of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) isolated from Aloe vera Linne, in human and animal cell lines. Its anti-mutagenic effects were examined using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains. Growth inhibition was specifically exerted by DEHP against three leukaemic cell lines at concentrations below 100 microg mL(-1). At 100 microg mL(-1) DEHP, K562, HL60 and U937 leukaemic cell lines showed growth inhibition of 95, 97 and 95%, respectively. DEHP exhibited an inhibitory activity of 74, 83 and 81%, respectively, in K562, HL60 and U937 cell lines at a concentration of 10 microg mL(-1). At a concentration of 1 microg mL(-1), DEHP exerted an inhibitory activity of 50, 51 and 52%, respectively, in K562, HL60 and U937. In a normal cell line, MDBK, DEHP exerted 30% growth inhibition at a concentration of 100 microg mL(-1), and showed no inhibitory activity at concentrations below 50 microg mL(-1). It was found that DEHP exerted anti-mutagenic activity in the Salmonella mutation assay. The number of mutant colonies of Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 upon exposure to AF-2 (0.2 microg/plate) decreased in a concentration-dependent manner in the presence of different DEHP concentrations (decreasing to 90.4, 83.9, 75.4, 69.6 and 46.9%, respectively, for DEHP concentrations of 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1 microg/plate). In the case of Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100, DEHP reduced AF-2-induced mutagenicity at 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 microg/plate to 57.4, 77.5, 80.0, 89.0 and 91.5%, respectively. The isolated compound from Aloe vera Linne, DEHP, was considered to be the active principle responsible for anti-leukaemic and anti-mutagenic effects in-vitro.

In vivo macrophage activation in chickens with Acemannan, a complex carbohydrate extracted from Aloe vera

Acemannan (ACM 1), a beta-(1,4) -acetylated mannan isolated from Aloe vera, can be used as an effective adjuvant in vaccination against some avian viral diseases. Our results demonstrate a quick and lasting in vivo priming effect of ACM 1 on macrophage response after intramuscular inoculation in chickens (500 microg per 2-month-old bird). In response to IFN-gamma in vitro, monocytes from ACM 1-treated chickens exhibited a strong enhancement of NO production from 3 to 9 days p.i., but a weaker effect on MHC II cell surface antigen expression on day 3 p.i. A stimulating effect of ACM 1 treatment was also observed on spontaneous and inducible NO production for splenocytes only on day 3 p.i. By that time, splenocytes exhibited a strong higher capacity to proliferate in response to the T cell-mitogen PHA. At the same time, the in vivo capacity to produce NO, measured by the (NO(-)(2)+NO(-)(3)) serum level after intravenous LPS injection, increased greatly from 3 to 9 days p.i. In conclusion, ACM 1 was able efficiently and durably to increase the activation capacity of macrophages from the systemic immune compartment (in particular from the blood and spleen after an intramuscular injection) in chickens, especially for NO production. These findings provide a better understanding of the adjuvant activity of ACM 1 for viral and tumoral diseases.

Aloe vera leaf gel: a review update

Research since the 1986 review has largely upheld the therapeutic claims made in the earlier papers and indeed extended them into other areas. Treatment of inflammation is still the key effect for most types of healing but it is now realized that this is a complex process and that many of its constituent processes may be addressed in different ways by different gel components. A common theme running though much recent research is the immunomodulatory properties of the gel polysaccharides, especially the acetylated mannans from Aloe vera, which are now a proprietary substance covered by many patents. There have also been, however, persistent reports of active glycoprotein fractions from both Aloe vera and Aloe arborescens. There are also cautionary investigations warning of possible allergic effects on some patients. Reports also describe antidiabetic, anticancer and antibiotic activities, so we may expect to see a widening use of aloe gel. Several reputable suppliers produce a stabilized aloe gel for use as itself or in formulations and there may be moves towards isolating and eventually providing verified active ingredients in dosable quantities

Spontaneous regression of pulmonary metastases demonstrated by CT

Two cases of disappearing or spontaneous regression of pulmonary metastases on CT are presented. In both cases, cytological proof was obtained by radiologically guided fine needle aspiration. The lesions subsequently regressed on follow-up CT studies without recognized systemic treatment.

Immunomodulatory activity of a Unani gold preparation used in Indian system of medicine

Kushta Tila Kalan (KTK), a gold preparation used in Unani-Tibb is claimed to possess general tonic, anti-infective and rejuvenating properties. We evaluated immunomodulatory activity of KTK in male mice. KTK was orally administered to animals at dosage of 6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg b.w. for 10 days. Beside general immunopathological parameters, cell-mediated immunity was evaluated by measuring delayed type of hypersensitivity response (DTH) while humoral immunity was assessed using plaque forming cell (PFC) assay. KTK augmented both the immune responses at dose levels of 6.25, 12.5 and 25 mg/kg. The optimum activities were recorded at 25 mg/kg. High dose of 50 mg/kg showed suppressive effects on immune functions. The modulatory effects may be attributed to the interactions of gold with herbomineral adjuncts incorporated during the specialized ashing techniques used in the preparation. The results are interesting in view of reported suppressive effects of other gold preparations.

Intralesional and topical chemotherapy and immunotherapy

Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for equine tumors. Conservative treatment approaches which preserve function and appearance are increasingly used in clinical practice. This article covers the principles and applications of two conservative treatment modalities including local chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The therapeutic benefit of local chemotherapy is based on the direct drug delivery to tumor tissue, i.e., topical and intratumoral administration of cytotoxic agents in slow release formulation. This treatment modality is very effective for cutaneous tumors and does not result in any permanent damage to normal tissue. Immunotherapy produces antitumor effects primarily through the action of natural host defense mechanisms against tumor cells. Although the use of immunotherapy is still under investigation there are many examples of its successful application to treatment of selected equine tumors.