Immunnostimulatory activity of Holothuria atra sea cucumber

Abstract

Immunostimulant is a substance that can stimulate the immune system against pathogenic microbes. Natural products produced by sea cucumbers have the potential to be developed as immunostimulants. This study was aimed to evaluate the imunostimulatory activity of Holothuria atra extract using the phagocytocyte assay of macrophage cells and the differentiation of leukocyte in rats. The samples of H. atra were taken from Halmahera waters, North Maluku, Indonesia. Extraction was carried out with 96% ethanol. Phagocytocyte activity assay was carried out using macrophage cells isolated from Balb/c mice (Mus musculus) using a series of doses 0.5; 1.0; 2.0; 4.0; 8.0; 16.0 and 32.0 mg/kg body weight. Leukocyte differentiation test in vivo was conducted using Rattus norvegicus rat treated with H. atra extract for 90 days with the following series of doses: 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight. The results showed that the highest phagocytosis activity was reached at a concentration of 4.0 µg/ml, but it was insignificantly different from the negative control group (p < 0.05). Leukocyte differentiation assay showed that the administration of H. atra extract increased the immune system response in the animals which was characterized by the increasing number of lymphocyte cells. H. atra extract also decreased the number of monocytes and neutrophils, suggesting the suppression of inflammation in the tested rats. Extract administration for 90 days did not cause a hypersensitivity reaction as indicated by the unchanged number of eosinophil and basophil cells. Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that H. atra had a potency to develop as an immunostimulant.