title: Ginseng and Salviae herbs play a role as immune activators and modulate immune responses during influenza virus infection.
abstract: We have investigated the adjuvant roles of common herbal medicines (ginseng, Salviae) and their effects on early immune responses during influenza virus infection in a mouse model. Intranasal co-administration with inactivated influenza virus A (PR8) and ginseng or Salviae extract increased the levels of influenza virus specific antibodies and neutralizing activities compared to immunization with PR8 alone, and provided protective immunity. Salviae co-administration significantly enhanced IFN-gamma and IL-2 cytokine producing splenocytes while ginseng induced high levels of IL-4 and IL-5 cytokine producing cells after challenge infection. Cells expressing an early activation marker CD69 and levels of a pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 were highly elevated in lungs from naïve mice during challenge virus infection, which might be a mechanism in lung inflammation leading to death. In contrast, immunized mice that were co-administered ginseng or Salviae modulated CD69 expressing immune cells, did not produce IL-6, and showed significant enhancement of influenza virus specific IgA antibody in lungs after challenge virus infection. Therefore, these results indicate that both ginseng and Salviae play a role as mucosal adjuvants against influenza virus as well as immuno-modulators during influenza virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
authors.forename: Fu Shi
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Compans
authors.forename: Young-Keol
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sang-Moo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D005894:Panax; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027544:Salvia; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000099192:CD69 Antigens