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Enhancement of in vitro nonspecific immune functions by African plant extracts
Author(s) -
Ottendorfer D.,
Frevert J.,
Kaufmann R.,
Beuscher N.,
Bodinet C.,
Msonthi J. D.,
Marston A.,
Hostettmann K.
Publication year - 1994
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.2650080702
Subject(s) - in vitro , immune system , macrophage , respiratory burst , phagocytosis , stimulation , granulocyte , biology , immunology , strain (injury) , in vivo , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , endocrinology , anatomy
The in vitro immunomodulatory activities of extracts from African medicinal plants have been studied. Certain extracts exerted enhancing effects in a concentration dependent manner on immune cells from three different strains of mice. Among these were an enhancement of phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages and tumoricidal potential of macrophages, and stimulation of the oxidative burst of macrophages and granulocytes. In contrast, the proliferative capacity of lymphocytes was only marginally affected. Enhanced macrophage and granulocyte activation was also detected using leucocytes of the LPS nonresponder strain C3H/HeJ. From the latter it can be concluded that the observed stimulatory effects of the plant extracts in vitro were not due to contamination with lipopolysaccharides.