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Immunomodulatory properties of Alternanthera tenella Colla aqueous extracts in mice
- Source :
- Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, Vol 36, Iss 9, Pp 1215-1219 (2003)
- Publication Year :
- 2003
- Publisher :
- Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica, 2003.
-
Abstract
- Plants from the genus Alternanthera are thought to possess antimicrobial and antiviral properties. In Brazilian folk medicine, the aqueous extract of A. tenella Colla is used for its anti-inflammatory activity. The present study investigated the immunomodulatory property of A. tenella extract by evaluating the antibody production in male albino Swiss mice weighing 20-25 g (10 per group). The animals received standard laboratory diet and water ad libitum. The effect of A. tenella extract (5 and 50 mg/kg, ip) was evaluated in mice immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBC 10%, ip) as T-dependent antigen, or in mice stimulated with mitogens (10 µg, Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide, LPS, ip). The same doses (5 and 50 mg/kg, ip) of A. tenella extract were also tested for antitumor activity, using the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma as model. The results showed that 50 mg/kg A. tenella extract ip significantly enhanced IgM (64%) and IgG2a (50%) antibody production in mice treated with LPS mitogen. The same dose had no effect on IgM-specific response, whereas the 5 mg/kg treatment caused a statiscally significant reduction of anti-SRBC IgM-specific antibodies (82%). The aqueous extract of A. tenella (50 mg/kg) increased the life span (from 16 ± 1 to 25 ± 1 days) and decreased the number of viable tumor cells (59%) in mice with Ehrlich ascites carcinoma. The present findings are significant for the development of alternative, inexpensive and perhaps even safer strategies for cancer treatment.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0100879X and 1414431X
- Volume :
- 36
- Issue :
- 9
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.737ff12b394245ac86ac296ad5991546
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-879X2003000900011