Stimulatory effects of euphorbia cheiradenia on cell mediated immunity and humoral antibody synthesis

Studies have demonstrated that plant extracts possess various biological characteristics including immunomodulatory activity. Euphorbia cheiradenia Boiss et Hohen [Euphorbiaceae], a medicinal herb native to Iran was investigated for its immunomodulatory effects. The methanolic extract of the plant was prepared and added to mitogen-induced human peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures at different concentrations. Effect of E. cheiradenia on in vivo cell-mediated immunity was measured by delayed type hypersensitivity [DTH] reaction. The effect of the extract on humoral antibody synthesis was also measured in immunized mice treated with different extract concentrations. The stimulation index [SI] for cultures treated with 0.01 to 200 pg/mi of the extract ranged from 1.3 +/- 0.04 to 2.4 +/- 0.06, [p < 0.01] showing a significant stimulatory effect of E. cheiradenia on the lymphocytes. IL-2 secreted from lymphocytes treated with the extract was significantly higher than that from the non-treated cells [p < 0.001]. Cell cycle analysis on mitogen-treated lymphocytes exposed to different concentrations of the extract showed an increase in the percentage of cells at G2M phase with increases in the concentration of the extract, but the results was not significant. In DIII skin test, the mean footpad thickness of all mice groups treated with 1, 50 and 100 mg/kg of the extract at 24 hours after immunization with antigen was 3.5 +/- 0.6 mm compared to 2.5 +/- 0.5 ni.in for the non-treated group [p = 0.005]. Moreover, an increase in production of specific antibody in mice immunized with different extract concentrations was also demonstrated. Results of this study showed the ability of the E. cheiradenia extract to induce proliferation of lymphocytes and enhance both cellular and humoral specific immune responses

Haussknechtia elymatica: a plant with immunomodulatory effects

Plant extracts have been widely investigated for possible immunomodu-latory properties. To study the immunomodulatory functions of the methanol extract of Haussknechtia elymatica [Apioideae], an herb native to south-western Iran. Delayed type hypersensitivity [DTH] skin test and measurement of antibody titer after immunization with Sheep-RBC was performed. [[3]H]-thymidine incorporation assay on the human lymphocytes stimulated with PHA and determination of IL-2 production using ELISA method was carried out. Treatment of mice with increasing concentrations of the extract decreased the footpad thickness indicating a dose-related inhibitory effect of H. elymatica on delayed hypersensitivity. The mean antibody titers for all concentrations of the extract at primary and secondary responses were significantly less than the control. Addition of the extract to the culture of human peripheral blood lymphocytes in the presence of mitogen decreased cell proliferation dose-dependently. A dose related decrease in production of IL-2 in extract-treated cells was also observed. The decline of antibody titer and DTH response indicates that H. elymatica, by acting on the lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 secretion, inhibits both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses

Chemical constituents of the essential oil of Stachys lavandulifolia vahl from Iran

The essential oil of Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl [Lamiaceae] was isolated by hydrodistillation of the aerial parts of the plant, with a yield of 0.25%. The chemical composition of volatile oil was analyzed by capillary GC and GC/ MS. The main components were germacrene-D [13.2%], beta-phellandrene [12.7%], beta-pinene [10.2%], myrcene [9.4%], alpha-pinene [8.4%] and Z-beta-ocimene [5.8%]

preliminary study on the biological activity of daphne mucronata royle

Antimicrobial and biological activity of leaves, stems and roots of Daphne mucronata Royle collected from abadeh in Fars province on June and September [2000] were studied. Antimicrobial and antifungal activity of the ethanolic extract of leave and stem of the plant were evaluated against four species of gram positive and gram negative bacteria and two fungi. They were active against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and the effect on gram-positive bacteria [Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis] was mostly in ethanolic extract of the roots of plant. The leaves and stems extract of the plant had no effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa even at high concentration. Antifungal activity was not observed in any part of the plant. Biological activity of the ethanolic extract of different parts of the plant was studied using Artemia salina [brine shrimp]. LD50 values were determined in mg/ml. The most toxic effect was due to methanolic extract of leaves collected on September [LD50=403 mg/ml]