Immunomodulating Activity of Thai Rejuvenating Plants

Aurasorn Saraphanchotiwitthays; Kornkanook Ingkaninan; Pattana Sripalakit

Authors

Aurasorn Saraphanchotiwitthays Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000,Thailand; Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Research Unit, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
Kornkanook Ingkaninan Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
Pattana Sripalakit Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Research Unit, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand

Keywords:

ICR mice, Immunomodulating activity, Macrophage phagocytosis, Lymphocyte proliferation, Rejuvenating plant

Abstract

This research aimed to find the relationship between rejuvenating remedy and ICR mouse immune system. Screening of the methanolic extract of fifteen rejuvenating plants widely used in Thailand was conducted using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Among the plants studied, Butea superba Roxb, Plumbago indica L. and Michelia champaca L. were the three most active by MTT assay. They were further tested on lymphocyte proliferation with mitogen (lipopolysaccharide (LPS), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and Concanavalin A (Con A)) as well as macrophage phagocytosis. The results showed that

B. superba extracts (4 mg/ml) with LPS, PWM, PHA and Con A presented similar Stimulation Index (SI) value of about 1.3, suggesting moderate activation on both T- and B-lymphocyte proliferation.

P. indica extracts with PHA showed the maximum SI value of about 1.6, suggesting major activation on T-lymphocyte proliferation using the same mechanism as PHA. Although M. champaca extract did not markedly stimulate lymphocyte proliferation, it slightly increased lysosomal enzyme production, suggesting a mild effect on the degranulation of phagocytosis while B. superba and P. indica did not cause any changes. These observations revealed credible relation of rejuvenating remedy and the murine immune system.