Immunomodulatory potentials of the water-soluble yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb) polysaccharides for the normal and cyclophosphamide-suppressed mice

Abstract

ABSTRACTImmunomodulatory potentials of water-soluble yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb) polysaccharides (WYPs) for the normal and immuno-suppressed mice were described in this study. For the normal mice, the WYPs at 500 mg kg−1 elevated spleen and thymus indices by 22–42%; promoted macrophages' phagocytosis; lymphocytes' proliferation and natural killer (NK) cell activity by 18–53%; enhanced IL-2 and IFN-γ levels in the splenocytes by 42–45%; raised IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS and lysozyme levels in the macrophages by 40–219%; and increased serum IgM, IgA and IgG levels by 44–51%. The WYPs could restore and improve immune status of the cyclophosphamide-treated mice, as they at 500 mg kg−1 elevated spleen and thymus indices by 85–172%; promoted macrophages' phagocytosis, lymphocytes' proliferation and NK cell activity by 24–98%; enhanced IL-2 and IFN-γ levels in the splenocytes by 44–109% or IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS and lysozyme levels in the macrophages by 53–287%; and increased the three immunoglobulins by 24–69%.