title: Immunomodulatory activity of biopolymeric fraction RLJ-NE-205 from Picrorhiza kurroa.
abstract: In the last three decades, numerous biopolymeric fractions have been isolated from medicinal plants and used as a source of therapeutic agents. The most promising biopharmacological activities of these biopolymers are their immunomodulatory effects. The biopolymeric fraction RLJ-NE-205 was isolated and purified from the rhizomes of Picrorhiza kurroa. We evaluated the effects of biopolymeric fraction RLJ-NE-205 from P. kurroa on the in vivo immune function of the mouse. Balb/c mice were treated with the biopolymeric fraction RLJ-NE-205 (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg body weight) for 14 days with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as an antigen. Haemagglutination antibody (HA) titre, plaque forming cell (PFC) assay, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction, phagocytic index, proliferation of lymphocytes, analysis of cytokines in serum and CD4/CD8 population in spleen (determined by flowcytometry) were studied. At the dose of 50 mg/kg, significant increases in the proliferation of lymphocytes (p<0.001) and cytokine levels (IL-4 and IFN-gamma) in serum (p<0.001) were observed. A dose dependent increase was demonstrated in HA titre (p<0.05), DTH (p<0.01), PFC (p<0.05), phagocytic index (p<0.05) and CD4/CD8 (p<0.01) population. This suggests that the biopolymeric fraction RLJ-NE-205 improves the immune system and might be regarded as a biological response modifier.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Regional Research Laboratory (CSIR), Jammu-180001, India.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Anamika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khajuria
authors.forename: Jaswant
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bedi
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Satti
authors.forename: Prabhu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dutt
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Suri
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Suri
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Qazi
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D032261:Picrorhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001704:Biopolymers; D016207:Cytokines