In vivo and in vitro immunomodulatory activities of Trichilia glabra aqueous leaf extracts

The correlation between pharmacological activity and contents of eight constituents of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (GUF), Leguminosae) has been extensively applied in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat diseases, exactly, in almost half of Chinese herbal prescription. However, the relationship between chemical contents and efficacy has not been established, which could evaluate GUF quality. To create a simple and effective quality-evaluation method, 33 batches of GUF from different habitats in China were collected. The correlation between eight constituents (liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, glycyrrhizic acid, licochalcone A, glabridin and glycyrrhetinic acid) and pharmacological activities (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunoregulatory) was analyzed per the partial least squares regression method. Results showed that eight constituents correlated significantly with the pharmacological activity. The correlation equation modes between pharmacological activity and contents of eight constituents were constructed and verified to be reliable. In GUF extract, the main constituents liquiritin, isoliquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid exhibited positive influence on anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect with different potent, while the metabolites liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin exhibited positive effect on the immunoregulatory activity and glycyrrhetinic acid exhibited positive effect on all the tested activities. Thus, our chemical-efficacy correlation method is reliable and feasible to predict the pharmacological activity based on its eight constituents. It could be powerful in quality control of GUF and provides a useful way for quality evaluation of other medicinal herbs.

Potential role of herbal medicines as a novel approach in sepsis treatment

The growing number of deaths related to sepsis has become a major concern for past few years. Sepsis is a complex pathological reactions that is explained by series of host response to microbial insult. The resulted systemic reactions are manifested by early appearance of proinflammatory cytokines leading to hyperinflammatory phase which is followed by septic shock and death of the patient. The present study has revealed that antibiotics are not self-sufficient to control the complex mechanism of sepsis. Moreover prolonged and unnecessary administration of antibiotics may lead to antibiotic resistance to pathogens. In addition to this, immunosuppressive medications are selective and have targeted approach to certain study population. Drugs from herbal origin have shown to possess a mammoth of immunomodulatory potential by suppressing proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines exhibiting no or minimal unwanted secondary responses. Concomitantly, herbal plants tend to modulate oxidative stress level and haematological imbalance during inflammatory diseased conditions. Natural compounds have gained much attention for the treatment of several clinical complications. Considering the promising responses of medicinal plants with less/no side effects and easy procurement, comprehensive research on herbal plants to treat sepsis should be contemplated.

Interconnected PolymerS TeChnology (IPSTiC): An Effective Approach for the Modulation of 5α-Reductase Activity in Hair Loss Conditions

Hair loss represents a condition that adversely affects the social life of patients. The most common cause is androgenetic alopecia (AGA), which is a genetically determined progressive hair-loss condition involving 5α-reductase. In this study, a novel anti-baldness agent based on Interconnected PolymerS TeChnology (IPSTiC), which is an effective strategy for the delivery of bioactive molecules, was developed. This product (IPSTiC patch hair) is based on a polymeric blend consisting of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid and soybean proteins and is able to improve efficacy and stability of bioactive ingredients such as Origanum vulgare leaf extract, Camellia Sinensis leaf extract, and Capsicum Annuum fruit extract. The efficacy of the developed anti-baldness agent was investigated by performing several tests including NO radical and 5α-reductase inhibition assays, stability studies under different conditions, and in vitro diffusion studies using Franz cells. The biocompatibility of IPSTiC patch hair was also evaluated by in vitro analysis of the pro-sensitising potential and EPISKIN model. The obtained results confirmed both the efficacy and safety of IPSTiC patch hair supporting the potential use of this product in the topical treatment of AGA.

Selective effects of fenitrothion on murine splenic T-lymphocyte populations and cytokine/granzyme production

The aim of this study was to investigate in vitro effects of fenitrothion (FNT) on mouse splenic lymphocytes. Here, naïve mice had their spleens harvested and splenocytes isolated. After exposure to FNT for 48 hr: splenocyte viability was measured using a tetrazolium dye assay; cell phenotypes, i.e., B-cells (CD19⁺), T-cells (CD3⁺), and T-cell subsets (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺), were quantified by flow cytometry; and, production of cytokines/granzyme-B was assessed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The ability for FNT to induce oxidative stress in the cells was evaluated by measuring hydroxyl radical (·OH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) production and changes in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The results showed that FNT significantly inhibited splenocyte proliferation, and decreased production of interleukin (IL)-2, interferon gamma, IL-4, and granzyme B, but had no impact on IL-6 production. FNT also selectively decreased splenic T-cell levels but did not induce changes in CD19⁺ B-cells. Further, within the T-cell populations, percentages of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD8⁺ T-cells (particularly CD8⁺ T-cells) were reduced. Lastly, FNT selectively increased MDA and ·OH production and inhibited SOD and GSH-Px activities in the splenic lymphocytes. These findings suggest that, due to oxidative damage, FNT selectively inhibits splenic T-lymphocyte survival and cytokine/granzyme production in vitro.

Toxicological Evaluation of the Aqueous Extract of Caralluma europaea and Its Immunomodulatory and Inflammatory Activities

Background:

Caralluma europaea (CE) has been studied for its chemical constituents, and no information is available on its toxicity or its pharmacological activities.

Objective:

To determine the toxicity of an aqueous extract of CE stems in vitro and in vivo after acute and subchronic oral gavages in Swiss albino's mice and its immunomodulatory and inflammatory activities.

Materials and Methods:

The extract was administrated in single oral dose at 5 g/kg body weight for the acute toxicity test and by gavages daily at doses of 1, 2.5, or 5 g/kg for 30 consecutive days for the subchronic toxicity test. The immunomodulatory activities and inflammatory activities were tested by the evaluation of hemagglutination antibodies (HAs) titers and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response.

Results:

For the dose of 1 g/kg, no visible toxic effects were observed. However, for the higher doses, clinical observations of toxicity were noted after 1 week of treatment. This was confirmed by the biochemical parameters values and the histology analyses of the spleen, liver, and kidney tissues. The high cellular mortality rate in vitro when treated with CE extract confirmed their toxicity potential. There was also increase of “HA titer” and “DTH” response in mice treated with nontoxic dose of CE (1 g/kg) compared to control group. This immune activity was confirmed by the high number of lymphocytes infiltrates noted in the different organs.

Conclusion:

We conclude that CE at the dose up of 1 g/kg produced toxic effect in mice that induced an immune inflammatory reaction.

SUMMARY

Caralluma europaea (CE) has been studied for its chemical constituents, and no information is available on its toxicity or its pharmacological activities. The objective is to determine the toxicity of an aqueous extract of CE stems in vitro and in vivo after acute and subchronic oral gavages in Swiss albino's mice and its immunomodulatory and inflammatory activities. For the dose of 1 g/kg, no visible toxic effects were observed. However, for the higher doses, clinical observations of toxicity were noted after 1 week of treatment. This was confirmed by the biochemical parameters values and the histology analyses of the spleen, liver, and kidney tissues. The high cellular mortality rate in vitro confirmed their toxicity potential. There was also increase of “hemagglutination antibody titer” and “delayed-type hypersensitivity” response in mice treated with nontoxic dose of CE (1 g/kg) compared to control group. This immune activity was confirmed by the high number of lymphocytes infiltrates noted in the different organs. We conclude that CE at the dose up of 1 g/kg produced toxic effect in mice that induced an immune inflammatory reaction.

Abbreviations Used: CE: Caralluma europaea, ALT: Alanine aminotransferase, AST: Aspartate aminotransferase, RRBCs: Rat red blood cells, DTH: Delayed-type hypersensitivity response, PBS: Phosphate buffer solution.

Immunomodulatory activity of methanol leaf extracts of Cameroonian medicinal plants

BACKGROUND

Medicinal plants have been used for centuries and have become part of complementary medicine worldwide because of their health benefits. Some have been successfully used directly in the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases or indirectly by stimulating the immune system. In the present study, the immunomodulatory activity of the methanol extracts of Adenocarpus mannii, Caucalis melanantha, Ocimum gratissimum, Asystasia intrusa and Clematis chinensis leaves was investigated.

METHODS

The extracts were prepared by maceration of dry leaves' powder in methanol. Phytochemical analysis was carried out by chemical reaction methods. The activity of plant extracts was evaluated in in vitro cell cultures by measuring their effect on nitric oxide production by peritoneal macrophages, the proliferation of lymphocytes and the cytotoxic effect on macrophages. The A. mannii extract was further evaluated at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight in mice for the stimulation of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions and the ability to reverse the myelosuppression induced by cyclophosphamide.

RESULTS

All the extract inhibited nitric oxide production by peritoneal macrophages, the highest activity was achieved with C. chinensis extract. However, these extracts did not significantly affect the viability of macrophages. A. mannii, A. intrusa and C. chinensis extracts exhibited stimulatory activity on peripheral blood lymphocytes, whereas C. melanantha and O. gratissimum extracts displayed inhibitory activity. In vivo, the A. mannii extract significantly increased the DTH reaction in mice from 50 mg/kg. This extract also showed a significant increase in the white blood cells and relative weight of the spleen and liver.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the A. mannii, C. melanantha, O. gratissimum, A. intrusa and C. chinensis methanol extracts possess immunomodulatory activity. This constitutes additional data on the well-known biological properties of these plants.

Walnut Polyphenol Extract Attenuates Immunotoxicity Induced by 4-Pentylphenol and 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol in Murine Splenic Lymphocyte

4-pentylphenol (PP) and 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (PNMC), two important components of vehicle emissions, have been shown to confer toxicity in splenocytes. Certain natural products, such as those derived from walnuts, exhibit a range of antioxidative, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we investigated the effects of walnut polyphenol extract (WPE) on immunotoxicity induced by PP and PNMC in murine splenic lymphocytes. Treatment with WPE was shown to significantly enhance proliferation of splenocytes exposed to PP or PNMC, characterized by increases in the percentages of splenic T lymphocytes (CD3+ T cells) and T cell subsets (CD4+ and CD8+ T cells), as well as the production of T cell-related cytokines and granzymes (interleukin-2, interleukin-4, and granzyme-B) in cells exposed to PP or PNMC. These effects were associated with a decrease in oxidative stress, as evidenced by changes in OH, SOD, GSH-Px, and MDA levels. The total phenolic content of WPE was 34,800 ± 200 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g, consisting of at least 16 unique phenols, including ellagitannins, quercetin, valoneic acid dilactone, and gallic acid. Taken together, these results suggest that walnut polyphenols significantly attenuated PP and PNMC-mediated immunotoxicity and improved immune function by inhibiting oxidative stress.

Chicken embryo extracts enhance spleen lymphocyte and peritoneal macrophages function

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Traditionally, chicken embryo eggs are widely considered as an immunomodulatory health product in China and southeast Asia. Besides that, Compendium of Materia Medica, the most famous Chinese pharmacopoeia, has recorded that chicken embryo eggs contributed to the appetite increase and immune function enhancement, especially for the pregnant and aged.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Through assessing the immune efficacy of the chicken embryo extracts on immunocompetent cells, the immunomodulatory mechanism and components were explored preliminarily.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The raw material was subjected to in vitro gastric and pancreatic digestion successively, and then ligarine was added to separate the digested mixture to water-soluble fraction (WS) and lipid-soluble fraction (LS). Employing in vitro cell models, the immunomodulating activities of the extracts on immunosuppressed mouse were examined, at concentrations ranging from 10 to 500 μg/ml. The cell experiments consisted of the following experiments: spleen lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 secretion, peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis and NO production. Before cell experiments, Kjeldal method and phenol-sulfuric acid method were employed respectively to determine the total protein and polysaccharide content of WS, and gas chromatography to analyze the fatty acid composition of LS.

RESULTS

LS significantly enhanced the spleen lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 secretion, while peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis and NO production activity were elevated by WS. Both extracts exhibited an immunomodulatory effect with a dose-effect relationship.

CONCLUSION

The findings confirmed the chicken embryo eggs as a potent immunopotentiator on the immunosuppressed mouse, which would be useful for the fruitful application of the chicken embryo eggs to serve as a superior immunostimulatory tonic. Furthermore, the two extracts exhibited a different bioactivity tendency which makes it a significative work to screen the bioactive component for further study.

A review on herbal antiasthmatics

In traditional systems of medicine, many plants have been documented to be useful for the treatment of various respiratory disorders including asthma. In the last two decades the use of medicinal plants and natural products has been increased dramatically all over the world. Current synthetic drugs used in pharmacotherapy of asthma are unable to act at all the stages and targets of asthma. However some herbal alternatives employed in asthma are proven to provide symptomatic relief and assist in the inhibition of disease progression also. The herbs have shown interesting results in various target specific biological activities such as bronchodilation, mast cell stabilization, anti-anaphylactic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, anti-allergic, immunomodulatory and inhibition of mediators such as leukotrienes, lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase, platelet activating, phosphodiesterase and cytokine, in the treatment of asthma. This paper is an attempt to classify these pharmacological and clinical findings based on their possible mechanism of action reported. It also signifies the need for development of polyherbal formulations containing various herbs acting at particular sites of the pathophysiological cascade of asthma for prophylaxis as well as for the treatment of asthma.

Immunomodulation property of hexane fraction of leaves of Cinnamomum tamala Linn. in rats

The leaves of Cinnamomum tamala Linn. (CT) (Lauraceae) clinically used in Ayurveda as antidiabetic and diuretic, but no reports are available towards immunomodulating property. Its hexane fraction (CTH) was orally given to rats for 10 days and delayed type of hypersensitivity (DTH), antibody production against sheep red blood cells (SRBCs), mitotic index in bone marrow cells and concanavalin A (Con A) mediated proliferation of lymphocytes were assessed. Further on 30 days treatment, change in body weight (BW), spleen weight, thymus weight, bone marrow cellularity and hematological changes were observed. It inhibited significantly the DTH response (IC(50) 1475 +/- 57.19 mg kg(-1) BW), antibody production, suppressed mitotic index in bone marrow cells along with the suppression of lymphocyte proliferation against Con A (IC(50) 63.33 +/- 1.95 microg mL(-1)). In all experiments, cyclophasphamide and dexamethasone had been used as reference drug for in vivo and in vitro studies, respectively. On 30 days treatment, the CTH (800 mg kg(-1) BW and above) significantly suppressed growth rate, increase of spleen and thymus weight and low bone marrow cellularity. In hematological examination, it inhibited total white blood cell and lymphocytes count and increased per cent of polymorphs. Thus, it could be suggested that the fraction possesses immunosuppressive property at doses, higher than 800 mg kg(-1) BW in rats.

Immunomodulatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects of violacein isolated from Chromobacterium violaceum

Violacein was isolated from Chromobacterium violaceum, a soil Gram negative bacterium collected from the forest water body soil sample of Kolli Hills; Tamil Nadu, India. In the present study the immunomodulatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of violacein were investigated in wistar rats and mice. Analgesic effect was evaluated by acetic acid- induced writhing, formalin induced paw licking and hotplate tests. Immunomodulatory effect was investigated by using ovalbumin- induced active paw anaphylaxis and sheep red blood cells (SRBC)-induced DTH tests. Antipyretic activity was evaluated by yeast- induced hyperpyrexia in rats. The anti- oedema effect was compared with indomethacin. Violacein inhibited 42.9% of ovalbumin- induced edema. Further we found that violacein (40mg/kg b.w.) reduced the edema induced by sheep red blood cells. Violacein also produced significant (p<0.05) analgesic activity in acetic acid induced writhing response, formalin induced paw licking response and hot plate analysis. Treatment with violacein showed a significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent reduction in pyrexia in rats. The results suggest that violacein possesses potent immunomodulatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities.

Appraisal of immunomodulatory potential of Spirulina fusiformis: an in vivo and in vitro study

In recent years, Spirulina has gained more and more attention from medical scientists as a nutraceutical and a source of potential pharmaceuticals. The present study was conducted to elucidate the immunomodulatory effect of Spirulina fusiformis (a cyanobacterium of the family Oscillatoriaceae) in vivo and in vitro. The in vivo effect of S. fusiformis (400 or 800 mg/kg body wt.) on humoral immune response, cell-mediated immune response and tumour necrosis factor alpha was investigated in mice. We also evaluated the effect of S. fusiformis (50 or 100 microg/ml) in vitro on mitogen (phytohaemagglutinin)-induced T lymphocyte proliferation in heparinized human peripheral blood. For comparison, dexamethasone was used as a standard. In mice, S. fusiformis (400 or 800 mg/kg body wt.) administration significantly inhibited the humoral immune response, cell-mediated immune response (delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction (DTH)) and tumour necrosis factor alpha in a dose-dependent manner. In vitro, S. fusiformis (50 or 100 microg/ml) decreased the mitogen (phytohaemagglutinin)-induced T lymphocyte proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner when compared with control cells. These observations clearly suggest that S. fusiformis has a remarkable immunosuppressive effect, which provides a scientific validation for the popular use of this drug, and helped us in further work on investigating its complete mechanism of action.

Immunomodulatory role of Withania somnifera root powder on experimental induced inflammation: An in vivo and in vitro study

The aqueous suspension of Withania somnifera root powder was investigated for their in vivo and in vitro immunomodulatory properties. W. somnifera showed potent inhibitory activity towards the complement system, mitogen induced lymphocyte proliferation and delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction. Administration of W. somnifera root powder did not have a significant effect on humoral immune response in rats. Our results report immunosuppressive effect of W. somnifera root powder, thus it could be a candidate for developing as an immunosuppressive drug for the inflammatory diseases.

Tilia cordata Mill. extracts and scopoletin (isolated compound): differential cell growth effects on lymphocytes

Aqueous extracts or infusions obtained from the flowers of Tilia species are widely used for the treatment of anxiety in folk medicine. In this work, the antiproliferative action of aqueous, dichloromethane and ethanol extracts obtained from Tilia cordata Mill. flowers on tumoral (BW 5147 lymphoma) and normal lymphocytes is described. Both extracts showed a selective action on tumoral cells, inducing apoptosis. In the case of normal T cells these extracts suppressed mitogen-induced proliferation without affecting viability, suggesting a suppressive but not cytotoxic effect. These effects were clearly concentration dependent. A coumarin (scopoletin), the main component in the dichloromethane extract presented antiproliferative action on BW 5147 cells, suggesting that it may be at least partly responsible for the activity displayed by this extract.

A Swedish collection of medicinal plants from Cameroon

A collection of 32 botanically identified medicinal plants from the slopes of Mt. Cameroon made by two Swedish settlers in the beginning of the last century is described and the literature is followed up. The drug names were found to be unaltered during the century passed.

Novel sulfated polysaccharide derived from red-tide microalga Gyrodinium impudicum strain KG03 with immunostimulating activity in vivo

The high-sulfate-containing exopolysaccharide p-KG03 is produced by the red-tide microalga Gyrodinium impudicum strain KG03. The immunostimulatory effects of this sulfated exopolysaccharide were investigated by isolating peritoneal macrophages from mice 10 or 20 days after they had received a single dose of p-KG03 (100 or 200 mg/kg body weight). The cytotoxicity of the isolated macrophages for B16 tumor cells was tested, as B16 tumor cells are sensitive to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and nitric oxide. The activities of natural killer cells from the p-KG03-treated mice against YAC-1 mouse lymphoma cells were also tested. The nonspecific immune functions mediated by natural killer cells and macrophages were increased by treatment with p-KG03 in vivo. These results suggest that p-KG03 has immunostimulatory effects and enhances the tumoricidal activities of macrophages and NK cells in vivo. In addition, p-KG03 treatment increased the plaque-forming cell response to sheep red blood cells, as well as the levels of IgM and IgG Exposure to p-KG03 also increased the production by macrophages of cytokines, such as interleukins -1beta and -6, and TNF-alpha. This is the first report of a marine microalgal sulfated polysaccharide having immunostimulatory activities. The p-KG03 polysaccharide may be useful for the development of biotechnological and pharmaceutical products that incorporate bioactive marine exopolysaccharides.

In vitro effects of aqueous seeds extract of Acacia cyanophylla on the opsonized zymosan-induced superoxide anions production by rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes

In vitro studies were carried out in rat pleural polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) activated by opsonized zymosan (OZ) to investigate the effects of aqueous extract from Acacia cyanophylla seeds on superoxide anions generation. PMNs were collected, after induction of an acute inflammatory reaction, by injection in the rat pleural cavity, of a suspension of calcium pyrophosphate (CaPP) crystals (pleurisy with CaPP) or serum (pleurisy with serum). The results obtained indicate that Acacia cyanophylla aqueous seeds extract had, in vitro, a significant stimulatory effect, in a dose dependent manner, on the PMN superoxide anions generation. It also corrected the diminution of superoxide anions production induced by diclofenac pre-treated PMNs. It could be concluded from the results of this study that the stimulatory properties of Acacia cyanophylla seeds aqueous extract may at least be due to the presence of polyphenols such tannins and/or lignins. Further investigations are needed to determine clearly the mechanisms mediating the generation of superoxide radicals in this phenomenon.

Screening and fractionation of plant extracts with antiproliferative activity on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Three hundred and thirteen extracts from 136 Brazilian plant species belonging to 36 families were tested for their suppressive activity on phytohemaglutinin (PHA) stimulated proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The proliferation was evaluated by the amount of [3H]-thymidine incorporated by the cells. Twenty extracts inhibited or strongly reduced the proliferation in a dose-dependent manner at doses between 10 and 100 micro g/ml. Three of these extracts appeared to be non-toxic to lymphocytes, according to the trypan blue permeability assay and visual inspection using optical microscopy. Bioassay-guided fractionation of Alomia myriadenia extract showed that myriadenolide, a labdane diterpene known to occur in this species, could account for the observed activity of the crude extract. Using a similar protocol, an active fraction of the extract from Gaylussacia brasiliensis was obtained. Analysis of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of this fraction indicates the presence of an acetylated triterpene whose characterization is underway. The extract of Himatanthus obovatus is currently under investigation.

In vitro effect of Derris scandens on normal lymphocyte proliferation and its activities on natural killer cells in normals and HIV-1 infected patients

We investigated the effect of Derris scandens hydroalcoholic extract on lymphocyte proliferation, natural killer (NK) cell activity and secretion of IL-2 and IL-4. Lymphocyte proliferative response of normal individuals was significantly increased at concentrations of 10 ng/ml, 100 ng/ml, 1 microg/ml and 5 microg/ml, whereas the response was significantly decreased at 100 microg/ml. D. scandens at the concentrations of 10 ng/ml, 100 ng/ml, 1 microg/ml and 10 microg/ml significantly enhanced the function of NK cells of normal individuals. The NK cell activity of HIV-infected individuals was significantly increased at a concentration of 10 microg/ml. Furthermore, the extract was shown to induce the IL-2 secretion from normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), whereas the IL-4 was not induced in the presence of the D. scandens extract. Our data suggested that the hydroalcoholic extract of D. scandens possesses in vitro immunostimulating activity on human immunocompetent and immunocompromised PBMC.