The prime objective of this study was to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of
025R chemically standardized extract from the roots of
Withania somniferra .As this being superior over the standard preparation, proven chemically by modern techniques, has been subjected to immunological investigation.
The results presented here in show that
025R increases both,
in vivo and
in vitro immune responses to T-dependent antigens. Our findings
in vitro strongly suggest that the 025R
exerts a direct effect on T-cell and B-cell , which results in enhanced release of specific Immunoglobulin from lymphocytes that had been exposed to antigen, enhancing the number of immunoglobulin-secreting cells.
Formulation C induced increase in the levels of serum anti-SRBC immunoglobulin, as measured by haemagglutination, while formulation C also increases
IgG by serum from immunized mice measured by flow cytometry. These differences could be explained considering that we only measured IgG as by flow cytometery assays, express by haemagglutination assay. Since red blood cells possess negative ions cloud that makes the cells repel from one another. This repulsive force is referred to as zeta potential. Because of its size and pentametric nature, IgM can overcome the electric barrier and cross link red blood cells subsequently leading to the agglutination. The smaller size of bivalent ions, however makes them less capable to overcome the cross barrier. Therefore, this characteristics, may account for, IgM being more effective than IgG in agglutinating red blood cells (Kuby, 1994). AGB treatment improved the haemagglutination
antibody titre and PFCs, reflecting an overall elevation of humoral response. DTH reaction being stimulated at low doses of formulation C in
response to
SRBC antigen activates TDTH cells, generally appearance of Th1 subpopulation types.
It has been shown that PFC response to SRBC is an excellent monitor of the primary effector function of the B lymphocyte (i.e. the synthesis and secretion of antigen-specific antibody). Formulation C also has shown significant increase in PFC by studying its effect on primary antibody response (IgM) and secondary antibody response (IgG), observed by PFC and flow cytometry ,respectively. It has been observed that mice given the oral dose 1mg/kg of formulation C showed significant enhancement of both IgM and IgG response indicating the B cell activation and differentiation by formulation C.
Since T-cells play an important role in regulating the immune response,T-cells are responsible for cell mediated immunity and are critical against infectious diseases and cancerous cells, in proper functioning of immune system, rapid T-cell proliferation following stimulus and subsequent differentiation into effector cells. T-cells further also activate other cells of immune system like B cells for proliferation and differentiation into different antibody producing plasma cells that play a critical role against extra cellular pathogens. The results from the studies demonstrate that formulation C can modulate the T cell proliferation and B cell proliferation in the Balb/c mice at 1mg/kg when administered by oral gavage for 14 days. The results obtained in the present study show that formulation C displays immunostimulating effects depending on the dosage schedules and timings of drug administration in relation to antigenic stimulation. The stimulation of both cell mediated and humoral immune response was observed only when the animals were treated with formulation C within 24 and to 48h of s.c injection of antigen. On-prolonged treatment and i.p. Immunization, formulation C produced a dose related stimulation of antibody synthesis influencing the development of 24 and 48 hr hypersensitivity reactions.The antibody production with formulation C to T - dependent antigen SRBC requires the cooperation of T and B-lymphocytes and macrophage Benacerraf, 1978 (). Formulation C suppresses the NO production from macrophage at higher doses but stimulates at lower doses. Through peroral treatment with the Formulation C the antibody response against SRBC could be increased significantly in Balb/c mice. In comparison to the controls the treated animals had a significantly higher
spleen weight and a significantly increased number of cells in the spleen. The therapy with the formulation C immunomodulator probably caused a compensation of the T- cell deficiency, which could lead to the re- increase in the spleen weight and the total cell number in the spleen and finally to the increase in the antibody response against SRBC.Interestingly, the therapy with the Formulation C extract did not only enhance the number of plaque forming cells and Hemagglutination titers, but also had an influence on the spleen weight and the number of cells in the spleen. These parameters were not influenced in healthy young mice. Obviously the extract does not influence these immune parameters when they are in their “normal”, balanced state but only intervenes in case of a misbalance.
More abstracts about the immune modulation