Effects of traditional tibetan medicine, Fructus Lonicerae microphyllae on phagecytosis and cytokines production of murine macrophages / 中国中药杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of traditional Tibetan medicine, Fructus Lonicerae microphyllae (FLM) on phagecytosis and cytokines production of murine macrophages.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The phagecytosis of murine macrophages was analyzed by neutral red phagecytosis assay. The activities of IL-1 and TNF-alpha were measured by biological methods. The mRNA of TNF-alpha and INF-gamma expressed by macrophages was detected by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The phagecytosis of murine macrophages was significantly enhanced by FLM at a concentration from 1 microg x mL(-1) to 100 microg x mL(-1) and the secretions of IL-1, and TNF-alpha from macrophages were markedly induced by FLM. Meanwhile, FLM also increased the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA and INF-gamma mRHA from macrophages in vitro.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>FLM could promote phagecytosis and cytokines production of murine macrophages.</p>