title: Modification of gamma radiation induced response of peritoneal macrophages and splenocytes by Hippophae rhamnoides (RH-3) in mice.
abstract: Alcoholic extract of Hippophae rhamnoides, RH-3, reported to render >80% survival against lethal whole body Co-60-gamma irradiation (10 Gy) in mice, was investigated for its immunostimulatory effects. In comparison with un-irradiated control, whole body irradiation did not reduce peritoneal macrophage counts at 24 h post-irradiation. RH-3 treatment (30 mg kg(-1) body weight) alone or 30 min before whole-body irradiation enhanced viable counts of macrophages significantly (P< or =0.05) compared with both un-irradiated control and irradiated groups. Whole-body irradiation reduced the number of viable splenocytes significantly (P<0.05) compared with un-irradiated control at 24 h post-irradiation. RH-3 treatment alone or before whole-body irradiation appreciably countered radiation-induced decrease in splenocyte count. 3H-thymidine uptake method revealed that whole-body irradiation reduced splenocyte proliferation significantly (159 +/- 45 counts min(-1)/10(6) cells; P< or =0.05) in comparison with control (607 +/- 142 counts min(-1)) at 24 h after irradiation but RH3 treatment before irradiation reduced the steep decrease and maintained it as 444+/-153 counts min(-1). After whole-body irradiation, the ratio of spleen weight/mouse weight decreased to 1.5 +/- 04 compared with 2.9 +/- 0.32 in un-irradiated control at 24 h post-irradiation. Similarly, total protein content in splenocytes also decreased to 48 +/- 6 microg/10(6) cells in comparison with 368 +/- 16 microg/10(6) cells of un-irradiated control. RH-3 treatment before irradiation countered radiation-induced decrease in both spleen weight/mouse weight ratio (4.0 +/- 0.35) and total protein content (360 +/- 13 mug/10(6) splenocytes). In the supernatant of peritoneal macrophage cultures exposed to 2 Gy Co-60-gamma radiation ex-vivo, the total nitrite content was enhanced significantly (P<0.05) to 5.72 +/- 0.09 microM in comparison with un-irradiated control (1.64 +/- 0.09 microM). RH-3 treatment (30 microg mL(-1)) before irradiation reduced total nitrite significantly (0.93 +/- 0.3; P< or =0.05) in comparison with irradiated control group. At 24 h after whole body irradiation, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio reduced to 1.5 in comparison with un-irradiated control (1.9) but RH-3 treatment before irradiation restored the ratio to 2.1. These findings explicitly reveal the immunostimulatory activity of RH-3, which may play an important role in the manifestation of its radioprotective efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, Brig S.K. Mazumdar Marg, Delhi-110054, India.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: Madhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bala
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Goel
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D031281:Hippophae; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D009573:Nitrites; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011506:Proteins; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; C465547:herbal preparation RH-3