Cell proliferation and natural killer cell activity by polyherbal formulation, Immu-21 in mice.

Immunomodulatory activity of an Ayurvedic polyherbal formulation, Immu-21 containing extracts of Ocimum sanctum, Withania somnifera, Emblica officinalis and Tinospora cordifolia was studied on proliferative response of splenic leukocytes to T cell mitogens, concanavalin (Con)-A and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and B cell mitogen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro by [3H]-thymidine uptake assay in mice. The cytotoxic activity of Immu-21 was tested by measuring the splenic leukocyte natural killer (NK) cell activity against K 562 cells. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment with Immu-21 (30 mg/kg) once a day for 14 and 21 days did not cause change in body weight and spleen weight, where as splenocytes/spleen count was increased. Treatment of Immu-21 (30 mg/kg, i.p.) for 14 days and 1 mg/kg for 21 days significantly increased LPS induced leukocyte proliferation. NK cell activity was significantly increased when mice were pretreated with Immu-21 (10 and 30 mg/kg, i.p.) once a day for 7 days. The results indicate that pretreatment with Immu-21 selectively increased the proliferation of splenic leukocyte to B cell mitogen, LPS and cytotoxic activity against K 562 cells in mice.

Studies in tissue glycogen in acute stress.

The glycogen was estimated in liver, cardiac and skeletal muscles during the recovery period after electro-shock. The supercompensation in the level of glycogen was observed in cardiac and skeletal muscles at 1 1/2 and 5 hrs respectively during the recovery period, after electro-shock. The liver glycogen level was lower than the control value after electro-shock at least upto 5 hrs of recovery period. Further, the glycogen level was observed to be minimum when the ventricular glycogen showed its supercompensation at 1 1/2 hr of recovery period. The glycogen level of those three tissues returned to control level after 24 hrs of electro-shock.