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Abstract: Argyrolobium roseum (Papilionaceae) is a sexually reproducing, rare, annual herb that grows in tropical and sub-temperate tracts of the north-western Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent. The present investigation was carried out to study the immunomodulatory properties of this herb in well established experimental models. For preliminary pharmacological activity evaluation, we first studied the effect of aqueous fraction (KA-134) of A. roseum on humoral and cell mediated immune responses and found that KA-134 dose dependently suppressed the antibody titre and delayed type hypersensitivity reaction. Inspired by the results, we further fractionated KA-134 which yielded pinitol, which on further immunomodulatory studies resulted in highly significant inhibition of CD3, CD19, CD4 and CD8 count and Th1/Th2 cytokines expression in splenocytes. Pinitol was also found to be safe when tested against cell viability assays (in vitro and in vivo). Based on the data, it can be suggested that pinitol is a potent and non-toxic immunosuppressor, which can be further explored for the development of potent immunosuppressor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Many herbs and spices are known to modulate the immune system and have been shown to restore the immunity in immuno-compromised individuals. Spices generally used to increase the taste and flavor of food also has the history of usage as an ayurvedic medicine. Therefore to explore the health modulating effects of Cuminum cyminum and to identify the active compound, immunomodulatory properties were evaluated using flowcytometry and ELISA in normal and immune-suppressed animals. C. cyminum and compound 1 stimulated the T cells and Th1 cytokines expression in normal animals. Swiss albino mice subjected to Cyclosporine-A induced immune-suppression were dosed orally with C. cyminum (25, 50, 100 and 200mg/kg) on consecutive days. The results showed that administration significantly increased T cells (CD4 and CD8) count and Th1 predominant immune response in a dose dependent manner thereby suggesting immunomodulatory activity through modulation of T lymphocytes expression. In restraint stress induced immune-suppressed animals, compound 1 countered the depleted T lymphocytes, decreased the elevated corticosterone levels and size of adrenal glands and increased the weight of thymus and spleen. Based on the data we may conclude that C. cyminum is a potent immunomodulator and may develop as a lead to recover the immunity of immuno-compromised individuals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To investigate the immunosuppressive potential of Pluchea lanceolata 50% ethanolic extract (PL) and its bioactive chloroform fraction (PLC). Materials and Methods: Preliminary screening of the Pluchea lanceolata 50% ethanolic extract (PL) was carried out with basic models of immunomodulation, such as, the humoral antibody response (hemagglutination antibody titers), cell-mediated immune response (delayed-type hypersensitivity), skin allograft rejection test, in vitro (C. albicans method), and in vivo phagocytosis (carbon clearance test). The extract was then fractionated with chloroform, n-butanol, and water to receive the respective fractions by partitioning. These fractions were employed for flow cytometry to study the T-cell specific immunosuppressive potential of these fractions. Results: Oral administration of PL at doses of 50 to 800 mg/kg in mice, with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as an antigen, inhibited both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, as evidenced by the production of the circulating antibody titer and delayed-type hypersensitiviy reaction results, respectively, and the immune suppression was statistically significant (P < 0.01) in Balb/C mice. PL also decreased the process of phagocytosis both in vitro (31.23%) and ex vivo (32.81%) and delayed the graft rejection time (30.76%). To study the T-cell-specific activities, chloroform, n-butanol, and water fractions from P. lanceolata were tested for T-cell specific immunosuppressive evaluation, wherein only the chloroform fraction (PLC) showed significant (P < 0.01) suppression of CD8+ / CD4+ T-cell surface markers and intracellular Th1 (IL-2 and IFN-γ) cytokines at 25 - 200 mg/kg p.o. doses. PLC, however, did not show significant suppression of the Th2 (IL-4) cytokine. Conclusion: The findings from the present investigation reveal that P. lanceolata causes immunosuppression by inhibiting Th1 cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]