Immunomodulatory Activity of Phyllanthus maderaspatensis in LPS-Stimulated Mouse Macrophage RAW 264.7 Cells

Uoorakkottil Ilyas,Vidhu Aeri,Muhammed Elayadeth-Meethal,Deepshikha P Katare,Mohamed Saheer Kuruniyan,Punnoth Poonkuzhi Naseef

doi:10.3390/separations8090129

Abstract

Phyllanthus species (Family Euphorbiaceae) has been used in traditional medicine of several countries as a cure for numerous diseases, including jaundice and hepatitis. This study is an attempt to evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of various fractions, column eluents of ethyl acetate fraction, and their polyphenols. Phyllanthus maderaspatensis were standardized using high-performance liquid chromatography to identify and quantify polyphenols, and purification of polyphenols was carried out using vacuum liquid chromatography. Subsequently, we tested various fractions, column eluents of ethyl acetate fraction, and polyphenols in vitro to assess their impact on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The ethyl acetate fraction (100 μg mL−1) had a more significant stimulatory effect on LPS-stimulated NO production by the RAW 264.7 cells. We found that the ethyl acetate fraction contains a high amount of catechin, quercetin, ellagic acid kaempferol, and rutin, which are responsible for immunomodulation. The ethyl acetate fraction at concentrations of 25 and 50 μg mL−1 had a significant inhibitory effect and 100 μg mL−1 had a more significant stimulatory effect when compared with the LPS control. The percentage of inhibition by LPS control ranged from zero percentage, kaempferol ranged from 45.4% at 50 μg mL−1 to 41.88% at 100 μg mL−1, catechin ranged from 50% at 50 μg mL−1 to 35.28% at 100 μg mL−1, rutin ranged from 36.2% at 50 μg mL−1 to 47.44% at 100 μg mL−1, gallic acid ranged from 28.4% at 50 μg mL−1 to 50.9% at 100 μg mL−1, ellagic acid ranged from 45.12% at 50 μg mL−1 to 38.64% at 100 μg mL−1, and purified quercetin ranged from 26.2% at 50 μg mL−1to 45.48% at 100 μg mL−1. As NO plays an important role in the immune function, polyphenols’ treatment could modulate several aspects of host defense mechanisms owing to the stimulation of the inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Highlights

Phyllanthus maderaspatensis, belonging to the genus Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae), is widely distributed in Sri Lanka, South Africa, China, and southern India
HPTLC is used instead of HPLC owing to the easiness, specificity, speed, and low cost [11]
We found that the yield of aqueous extract, crude ethanolic extract, and aqueous ethanolic extract was 13.7 ± 1.9% w/w, 15.18 ± 0.19% w/w, and 15.58 ± 0.45% w/w, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Phyllanthus maderaspatensis, belonging to the genus Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae), is widely distributed in Sri Lanka, South Africa, China, and southern India. In India, the whole plant is used against kidney and urinary tract infections, digestive disorders, hepatitis, and diabetes. The plant is used for a variety of ailments including smallpox, syphilis, asthma, and bleeding gums, as well as in various biological activities such as chronic hepatitis B infection [1], antihepatotoxic and choleretic activities [2], adulticidal and larvicidal efficacy [3], antidiabetic activity [4], hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity [5], anti-Epstein–Barr virus [6], antiretroviral reverse transcriptase [7], and antiherpes simplex virus type 1 and type [8]. Phyllanthus genus was found to be rich in polyphenols, lignans, flavonoids, triterpenes, hydrolysable tannins, sterol, and alkaloids [10]. HPTLC is used instead of HPLC owing to the easiness, specificity, speed, and low cost [11]

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Results

Conclusion