title: Cytoprotective and immunomodulatory properties of Geriforte, a herbomineral preparation, in lymphocytes.
abstract: The study was designed to determine the cytoprotective and immunomodulatory properties of Geriforte, an indigenous herbomineral compound, using lymphocytes as a model system. The possible involvement of free radicals and the ability of Geriforte to inhibit the oxidative process induced by tert-butylhydroperoxide (tert-BHP) was also investigated. The production of free radicals (evaluated by fluorescent probe fluorescein-diacetate), level of malondialdehyde (MDA, as index of lipid peroxidation), and levels of anti-oxidants--reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined. There was an increase in cytotoxicity and apoptosis significantly in the presence of tert-BHP (100 microM) over control. Addition of tert-BHP resulted in a marked increase in free radical production and MDA level with a concomitant decrease in GSH level in lymphocytes. Geriforte supplementation reduced cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by tert-BHP. Further, Geriforte inhibited tert-BHP induced lipid peroxidation and maintained higher anti-oxidant levels. tert-BHP significantly inhibited the lymphocyte proliferation stimulated by mitogens (Lipopolysaccharide/Concanavalin A) and enhanced DNA fragmentation. Geriforte relieved the inhibitory effect of tert-BHP on lymphocyte proliferation and decreased DNA fragmentation appreciably. The results indicate that Geriforte possesses cytoprotective and immunomodulatory properties which could be due to its anti-oxidant activity.
authors.affiliation: Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, Timarpur, Delhi, India. sairam64@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sairam
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ilavazhagan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Selvamurthy
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D005609:Free Radicals; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D028321:Plant Preparations; D003208:Concanavalin A; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C047351:geriforte; D020122:tert-Butylhydroperoxide; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005978:Glutathione