Increased production of antigen-specific immunoglobulins G and M following in vivo treatment with the medicinal plants Echinacea angustifolia and Hydrastis canadensis.
A number of immunomodulatory effects have been attributed to the medicinal plants Echinacea angustifolia and Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis); however, little is known about whether treatment with these plants can enhance antigen-specific immunity. We investigated the antigen-specific in vivo immunomodulatory potential of continuous treatment with Echinacea and Goldenseal root extract over a period of 6 weeks using rats that were injected with the novel antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and re-exposed to KLH after the initial exposure. Immunoglobulin production was monitored via ELISA continuously over a period of 6 weeks. The Echinacea-treated group showed a significant augmentation of their primary and secondary IgG response to the antigen, whereas the Goldenseal-treated group showed an increase in the primary IgM response during the first 2 weeks of treatment. Our results suggest that medicinal plants like Echinacea or Goldenseal may enhance immune function by increasing antigen-specific immunoglobulin production.
Rehman
J
J
Department of Internal Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of California, San Diego 92161, USA.
Dillow
J M
JM
Carter
S M
SM
Chou
J
J
Le
B
B
Maisel
A S
AS
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000276:immunology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000941:Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D010936:Plant Extracts; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin