Mercurius solubilis: actions on macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Macrophages play central roles in homeostasis as well as host defence in innate and acquired immunity, auto-immunity and immunopathology. Our research group has demonstrated the effects of highly diluted toxic substances in macrophages. AIM: To investigate if highly diluted Mercurius solubilis (Merc sol), can activate or modulate macrophage functions. METHODS: We evaluated the effects of Merc sol in the 6, 12, 30 and 200 centesimal high dilutions (CH) potencies on mice peritoneal macrophages (in vitro and in vivo). Merc sol was added to mice's drinking water for 7 days (in vivo treatment) and animals were euthanised and cells were collected. In vitro treatment was performed on macrophages and bone-marrow cell cultures. RESULTS: Macrophages showed activated morphology, both when Merc sol was added directly to the cell culture and to drinking water. The in vitro experiments showed enhanced morphological activation, increased interferon (IFN)γ release in the supernatant at lower dilutions and interleukin (IL)-4 production at higher dilutions. Increase in nitric oxide and decrease in superoxide (O(2)(-)) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) were also observed. In vivo treatment caused a decrease in O(2)(-) and increase in H(2)O(2) production by macrophages. DISCUSSION: Taken together, the results allow us to conclude that highly diluted Merc sol modulates reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and cytokine secretion, which are central mediators of the immune system, wound healing and body homeostasis.

Developments on drug discovery and on new therapeutics: highly diluted tinctures act as biological response modifiers.

BACKGROUND: In the search for new therapies novel drugs and medications are being discovered, developed and tested in laboratories. Highly diluted substances are intended to enhance immune system responses resulting in reduced frequency of various diseases, and often present no risk of serious side-effects due to its low toxicity. Over the past years our research group has been investigating the action of highly diluted substances and tinctures on cells from the immune system. METHODS: We have developed and tested several highly diluted tinctures and here we describe the biological activity of M1, M2, and M8 both in vitro in immune cells from mice and human, and in vivo in mice. Cytotoxicity, cytokines released and NF-κB activation were determined after in vitro treatment. Cell viability, oxidative response, lipid peroxidation, bone marrow and lymph node cells immunophenotyping were accessed after mice in vivo treatment. RESULTS: None of the highly diluted tinctures tested were cytotoxic to macrophages or K562. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages treated with all highly diluted tinctures decreased tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) release and M1, and M8 decreased IFN-γ production. M1 has decreased NF-κB activity on TNF-α stimulated reporter cell line. In vivo treatment lead to a decrease in reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) production was increased by M1, and M8, and lipid peroxidation was induced by M1, and M2. All compounds enhanced the innate immunity, but M1 also augmented acquired immunity and M2 diminished B lymphocytes, responsible to acquired immunity. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results presented here, these highly diluted tinctures were shown to modulate immune responses. Even though further investigation is needed there is an indication that these highly diluted tinctures could be used as therapeutic interventions in disorders where the immune system is compromised.

Medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss: Fr) Karst. triggers immunomodulatory effects and reduces nitric oxide synthesis in mice.

This study investigated the effect of Ganoderma lucidum supplementation on lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophages from mice. Our results show that G. lucidum in vivo was able to increase interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) concentration but reduced CD3(+) and CD8(+) spleen lymphocytes. Ex vivo, IFN-gamma; and interleukin-10 levels were increased and the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) level was reduced by peritoneal macrophages from mice fed with G. lucidum. In the absence of stimuli nitric oxide production was reduced in mice fed with G. lucidum, and with lipopolysaccharide stimulation nitric oxide production was increased but was lower than control values (P < .05). G. lucidum was grown by solid-state culture in wheat grain, and a chow containing 10% G. lucidum mycelium was formulated (G10). Swiss male mice were divided into two groups, termed G10 and control groups according to the diet, and were fed for 3 months. Peritoneal macrophages were obtained and investigated with regard to phagocytosis, lysosomal volume, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion, and cytokines ex vivo. In the plasma we investigated concentrations of cytokines, and in the spleen we determined subsets of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), and CD19(+) lymphocytes.