Abstract
BackgroundAbelmoschus ficulneus (L.) Wight & Arn. (Malvaceae) commonly known as herb in the Ayurveda, Indian traditional medicine system. Herb is reported as a Rasayana that has the potential to produce immunomodulatory effects. In the present study, the immunomodulatory effect of aqueous (AEAF) and ethanolic (EEAF) leaves extract of A. ficulneus (L.) Wight & Arn. in different experimental animal models were evaluated.ResultsAcute oral toxicity shows that both extracts have wide range of safety as per OECD 420 guidelines. Quantitative and qualitative analysis was evaluated by performing preliminary phytochemical screening, thin layer chromatography and high-performance thin layer chromatography developed for simultaneous quantification of flavonoids (quercetin) in both the extracts. Oral administration of A. ficulneus L. extracts showed a significant increase in the primary and secondary humoral antibody responses against cyclophosamide (100 mg/kg) induced immunosuppression, by significantly increasing (p < 0.05) the hemagglutinating antibody titre at dose of 200 mg/kg/p.o. and also significantly (p < 0.05) potentiated delayed type hypersensitivity reaction induced by sheep red blood cells. There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the phagocytic index, percentage neutrophil adhesion and significantly prevented the mortality induced by bovine Pasteurella multocida in mice when compared with control group. Result findings shows that both the extracts have ability to inhibit immunosuppression induced by cyclophosamide.ConclusionStudy finding shows that AEAF and EEAF (at dose 200 mg/kg) extracts exerts immunostimulatory effects on specific and nonspecific immune system thus chemical constituents of herbal extracts may have applications as an effective immunotherapeutic agent and its potential application in the treatment of immune-related diseases.
Highlights
Abelmoschus ficulneus (L.) Wight & Arn. (Malvaceae) commonly known as herb in the Ayurveda, Indian traditional medicine system
Preliminary phytochemical evaluation The phytochemical screening of leaves extracts of A. ficulneus L. showed the presence of glycosides, carbohydrates, fixed oils and fats, proteins and amino acids, saponins, tannins, phytosterols, phenolic compounds alkaloids and flavonoids while gums and mucilage are absent
Total flavonoid content The total flavonoid content for extracts of AEAF and EEAF presented in Table 1 as well as absorbance of standard compound is shown in Table 2 at different concentrations and standard curve of quercetin indicated the equation of y = 0.0077x and R2 = 0.9977 clarified in Fig. 1 (Table 3)
Summary
Abelmoschus ficulneus (L.) Wight & Arn. (Malvaceae) commonly known as herb in the Ayurveda, Indian traditional medicine system. (Malvaceae) commonly known as herb in the Ayurveda, Indian traditional medicine system. Herb is reported as a Rasayana that has the potential to produce immunomodulatory effects. The immunomodulatory effect of aqueous (AEAF) and ethanolic (EEAF) leaves extract of A. ficulneus (L.) Wight & Arn. in different experimental animal models were evaluated. Ayurveda is the vital indigenous medicine system of India. Rasayana therapy is one of the eight major divisions of Ayurvedic discipline [1]. The modern research has only evidenced the biological activity of the medicinal plants and their active ingredients. The Rasayana therapy is interpreted in modern science like immunomodulatory action, anti-ageing action, apoptogenic action, endurance or extended life span, etc. Specific class of agents like anti-allergic, corticosteroids, anticancer and chemotherapeutic have been employed to protect against
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