Immunomodulatory activity of methanol extract of &lt;i&gt;Adansonia digitata&lt;/i&gt; L

Amrish Sharma,Vinod Rangari

doi:10.4314/tjpr.v15i9.16

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the immune-modulatory activities of various plant parts Adansonia digitata L. using delayed-type hypersensitivity rat model.Methods: Defatted leaf, root bark and fruit pulp of A. digitata were extracted with methanol. Immunomodulatory activity of the methanol extracts (250 and 500 mg/kg) were evaluated in sheep RBC (SRBC)-induced delayed-type hypersensitivity model, cell mediated immune re-sponse and phagocytic activity using carbon clearance test.Results: The extracts exhibited significant increase in delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction, indicating the ability of the extracts to stimulate T-cells. It also increased SRBC induced anti-body titer in immunesuppressed rats, and produced significant increase in phagocytic index by rapid removal of carbon particles from the blood stream.Conclusion: These results indicate that methanol extracts of the leaf, root bark and fruit pulp of A. digitata hold promise as immunemodulatory agents.Keywords: Adansonia digitata L.; Immuno modulation; Delayed type hypersensitivity; Humoral Antibody titre; Phagocytic index

Highlights

Immunomodulation is a procedure that alters the immune system of an organism by interfering with its functions
Thin layer chromatographic study of the methanolic extract of the leaves revealed nine spots in the solvent system while the fruit pulp methanolic extract in the same solvent system showed five spots when sprayed with vanillin-sulphuric acid
Only animals treated with high dose (500 mg/kg) of test extracts showed increase in paw edema (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Immunomodulation is a procedure that alters the immune system of an organism by interfering with its functions. Pure phyto-constituents, natural adjuvants, synthetic agents, and antibody reagents are used as immune modulators which may work either as immunosuppressive and immune-stimulating agents. The use of these agents is often limited by factors such as increased risk of infection and generalized effects throughout the immune system [1,2]. Different parts of A. digitata are widely used as food, medicine, clothing and shelter. In folk medicine, it is used as antipyretic, febrifuge, astringent in diarrhoea and dysentery, and as a substitute for cinchona in various systems of medicine [7]. The fruit pulp contains sterols, triterpenes, saponins, tannins, carbohydrates, and glycosides [8,10]

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