The immunomodulatory effect of green tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves extract on immunocompromised Wistar rats infected by Candida albicans

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The immunocompromised condition is considered a defect in the immune system. This condition tends to increase the risk of oral candidiasis, due to the inability of the immune system to eliminate the adhesion of Candida albicans and leads to systemic candidiasis with a mortality rate of 60%. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) contains potential antioxidant and immunomodulatory which acts as anticancer, antifungal, and antivirus agent. The aim of this study was to invent herbal-based medicine, which acts as an immunomodulator and antifungal agent to treat fungal infection in immunocompromised patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-five immunocompromised Wistar rats induced with C. albicans were divided into 7 groups (n=5): Control group (C+); treated for 4 days with green tea extract 1.25% (GT 4), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) 1% (EGCG 4), EGC 1% (EGC 4); and treated for 7 days with green tea extract 1.25% (GT 7), EGCG 1% (EGCG 7), and EGC 1% (EGC 7). Tongue tissue was collected and analyzed with immunohistochemistry staining using monoclonal antibody; interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-8, and human beta-defensin 2 (HBD)-2. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance test and Tukey honest significant differences test.

RESULTS

The expression of IL-17A, IL-8, and HBD-2 was significantly increased (p=0.000) after green tea extract administration in 7 days, whereas in 7 days, the expression of IL-8, IL-17A, and HBD-2 after EGCG and EGC administration did not give a significant result (p>0.005).

CONCLUSION

Within the limits of this study, green tea extract has the ability as an immunomodulatory agent in an immunocompromised patient infected by C. albicans through expression augmentation of IL-8, IL-17A, and HBD-2 compared to EGCG and EGC.

Development of aprepitant loaded orally disintegrating films for enhanced pharmacokinetic performance

The present investigation was aimed to prepare orally disintegrating films (ODFs) containing aprepitant (APT), an antiemetic drug employing pullulan as film forming agent, tamarind pectin as wetting agent and liquid glucose as plasticizer and solubiliser. The ODFs were prepared using solvent casting method. The method was optimized employing 3(2) full factorial design considering proportion of pullulan: tamarind pectin and concentration of liquid glucose as independent variables and disintegration time, wetting time, folding endurance, tensile strength and extensibility as dependent variables. The optimized ODF was evaluated for various physicochemical, mechanical, drug release kinetics and bioavailability studies. The results suggested prepared film has uniform film surface, non-sticky and disintegrated within 18s. The in-vitro release kinetics revealed more than 87% aprepitant was released from optimized ODF as compared to 85%, 49%, and 12% aprepitant release from marketed formulation Aprecap, micronized aprepitant and non micronized aprepitant, respectively. The results of animal preference study indicated that developed aprepitant loaded ODFs are accepted by rabbits as food material. Animal pharmacokinetic (PK) study showed 1.80, 1.56 and 1.36 fold enhancement in relative bioavailability for aprepitant loaded ODF, Aprecap and micronized aprepitant respectively, in comparison with non-micronized aprepitant. Overall, the solubilised aprepitant when incorporated in the form of aprepitant loaded ODF showed enhanced bioavailability as compared to micronized/non-micronized aprepitant based oral formulations. These findings suggested that aprepitant loaded ODF could be effective for antiemesis during cancer chemotherapy.