Effect of Zingiber Officinale Roscoe Extracts on Mice Immune Cell Activation

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) has been used as a raw material in many traditional preparations since the ancient time. As a component of traditional health products, Ginger is known to be effective as appetite enhancer, anticold and anti-inflammation. This study was performed to investigate the immunomodulative effects of Ginger in mouse, using in vitro and ex vivo experiments. In vitro experiment, the mice splenocytes proliferation and three kinds of cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha) prodution by peritoneal macrophages cultured with ethanol and water extracts of Ginger were used to indicate the immunomodulative effect. In order to elucidate the immunomodulative effects of Ginger ex vivo, water extract of Ginger was orally administrated into mice, and isolated splencytes and macrophages were used as experimental model. Ex vivo experiment, six to seven week old mice were fed ad libitum on a chow diet, and water extract of Ginger was orally administrated every other day for four weeks at two different concentractions (50 and 500 mg/kg B.W./day). In vitro study, the splenocytes proliferation was increased when water extract was supplemented in the range of 50-500 microliter/ml concentration. In case of cytokines production, IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha released by activated peritoneal macrophages were augmented by the supplementation of water extract of the Ginger. Ex vivo experiment, the highest proliferation of splenocytes and production of cytokines by activated peritoneal macrophages were seen in the mice orally administrated at the concentration of 500 mg/kg B.W./day. In conclusion, this study suggests that Ginger extracts may enhance the immune function by regulating the splenocytes proliferation and enhancing the cytokine prodution capacity by activated macrophages in mice.

Enhancing Effect of Zingiber Officinale Roscoe Extracts on Mouse Spleen and Macrophage Cells Activation

Recently many investigators have initiated searches for immunomodulating substances from natural food sources. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) has been used as a raw material in many traditional preparations since the ancient time. This study was performed to investigate the immunomodulative effects of Zingiber officinale Roscoe in mice, using ex vivo experiments. In order to elucidate the immunomodulative effects of Ginger, water extracts of the plant were orally administrated into mice, and isolated splenocytes and macrophages were used as experimental model. In order to identify its ex vivo effect six to seven week old Balb/c mice were fed ad libitum on a chow diet, and water extracts of ginger were orally administrated every other day for two weeks at two different concentrations (50 and 500 mg/kg b.w.). After preparing the single cell suspension, the proliferation of splenocytes was determined by MTT assay. The result of ex vivo study showed that the highest proliferation of splenocytes and macrophage activatation was seen in the mice orally administrated at the concentration of 500 mg/kg b. w. of ginger water extracts. In conclusion, this study suggests that ginger extracts may enhance the immune function by regulating the splenocyte proliferation and cytokine prodution capacity by activated macrophages in mice.