title: Prevention of psychological stress-induced immune suppression by aged garlic extract.
abstract: We determined the effect of Aged Garlic Extract (AGE) on damage caused to immune function by a psychological stress using a communication box. After four days of a psychological stress, a decrease in spleen weight and spleen cells was observed in the psychological stress-exposed mice as compared normal mice (non-stress). AGE significantly prevented the decreases in spleen weight and cells. Additionally, AGE significantly prevented the reduction of hemolytic plaque-forming-cells in spleen cells and anti-SRBC antibody titer in serum caused by this psychological stress. Moreover, a reduction in NK activities was observed in the psychological stress-exposed mice as compared with normal mice (non-stress), whereas NK activities in the AGE administered mice were almost the same as normal mice (non-stress). These results indicate that psychological stress qualitatively and quantitatively impairs immune function, and that AGE is extremely useful for preventing psychologically-induced damage.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology & Safety Assessment Laboratory of Healthcare Research Institute Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Taketa-gun, Hiroshima, Japan. XLT00713@niftyserve.or.jp
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kyo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ushijima
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasuga
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itakura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005737:Garlic; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D010936:Plant Extracts