title: Immunostimulation by Alsophila spinulosa extract fraction VII of both humoral and cellular immune responses.
abstract: Alsophila spinulosa (Cyatheaceae) has been used in Asia as a herbal medicine. In this study, the immunomodulatory effects of Alsophila spinulosa dried stems water extract fraction VII (AS-VII) were studied in vitro using an animal model. The results showed that AS-VII stimulated splenocyte proliferation in both BALB/c and C3H/HeJ mice. By cell fractionation analysis, the results showed that the mitogenic effect of AS-VII was predominantly on B cell population. The antibody response was also augmented by AS-VII in BALB/c and C3H/HeJ mice. The augmentation of immune responses in C3H/HeJ, the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-hyporesponsive mouse strain, indicated that the activity was not simply due to the LPS contamination which may be present in AS-VII preparation. Furthermore, AS-VII caused an increase in cytotoxic T cell activity in a mixed lymphocyte reaction culture. These data indicate that AS-VII possesses the capability of augmenting both humoral and cellular immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018547:Plant Stems; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens