Premium
Restoration of the immune functions in aged mice by supplementation with a new herbal composition, HemoHIM
Author(s) -
Park HaeRan,
Jo SungKee,
Jung Uhee,
Yee SungTae
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.2255
Subject(s) - splenocyte , immune system , radix (gastropod) , cytokine , composition (language) , traditional medicine , phytotherapy , immunology , biology , pharmacology , medicine , chemistry , botany , linguistics , philosophy , alternative medicine , pathology
The effect of a new herbal composition, HemoHIM, on immune functions was examined in aged mice, in which various immune responses had been impaired. The composition HemoHIM was prepared by adding the ethanol‐insoluble fraction to the total water extract of a mixture of three edible herbs, Angelica Radix, Cnidium Rhizoma and Paeonia Radix. Supplementation to the aged mice with HemoHIM restored the proliferative response and cytokine production of splenocytes with a response to ConA. Also, HemoHIM recovered the NK cell activity which had been impaired in the aged mice. Meanwhile aging is known to reduce the Th1‐like function, but not the Th2‐like function, resulting in a Th1/Th2 imbalance. HemoHIM restored the Th1/Th2 balance in the aged mice through enhanced IFN‐ γ and IgG2a production, and conversely a reduced IL‐4 and IgG1 production. It was found that one factor for the Th1/Th2 imbalance in the aged mice was a lower production of IL‐12p70. However, HemoHIM restored the IL‐12p70 production in the aged mice. These results suggested that HemoHIM was effective for the restoration of impaired immune functions of the aged mice and therefore could be a good recommendation for immune restoration in elderly humans. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.