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Mineral pitch stimulates humoral, cellular and innate immune responses in mice.
- Source :
- Pharmaceutical Biology; Aug2013, Vol. 51 Issue 8, p997-1007, 11p
- Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Context: Mineral pitch (MP), a traditional medicine, is proposed to boost immunity in conditions that suppress Th1 cytokines such as AIDS/HIV, tuberculosis, leishmaniasis and cancer. Objective: This study investigates the immunoregulatory mechanisms of MP in innate, humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Materials and methods: Mice given MP (100, 200, 300 or 400 mg/kg, orally) for 10 consecutive days were immunized intravenously with goat RBC or ovalbumin, and investigated for plaque-forming cells (PFC), hemagglutination titer, hypersensitivity response, lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage function. Results: MP increased PFC (330.2 versus 182.2/10<superscript>6</superscript> splenocytes) in mice immunized with goat RBC and elicited ovalbumin-specific IgG titer at 400 mg/kg. Increase in Th1 immunity was correlated with the increased level of IFN-γ (724 versus 470 pg/ml) and decreased IL-4 (96 versus 178 pg/ml). CD4<superscript>+</superscript>/CD3<superscript>+</superscript> ratio and delayed-type hypersensitivity response also increased to, respectively, 20.62 ± 0.59 (versus 16.47 ± 0.72) and 1.59 ± 0.12 (versus 0.87 ± 0.10 mm) in MP-treated mice. MP increased lymphocyte proliferation (11.14 ± 0.60 versus 5.81 ± 0.40 SI) and macrophage phagocyte response (0.24 ± 0.02 versus 0.15 ± 0.009), expressed as absorbance at 570 nm, but decreased nitrite production (17.4 ± 1.10 versus 24.3 ± 1.30 µM/10<superscript>6</superscript> cells). We also observed an increased bone marrow cellularity (24.5 ± 1.10 versus 17.10 ± 0.70 cells/femur) and WBC count (12 667 ± 377 versus 9178 ± 213 cells/mm<superscript>3</superscript>) following MP treatment. There was no sign of toxicity at 400 mg/kg, 1/12th of reported LD<subscript>50</subscript>. Conclusion: MP elicits a dose-dependent Th1 immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13880209
- Volume :
- 51
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Pharmaceutical Biology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 88934972
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3109/13880209.2013.774027