title: Effects of a standardized purified dry extract from Echinacea angustifolia on proliferation and interferon gamma secretion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in dairy heifers.
abstract: This study was performed to ascertain whether a standardized extract from Echinacea angustifolia (Polinacea) affects proliferation and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) secretion in bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PBMC from six Holstein heifers were incubated with 0, 6.3, 20, 60, or 180 microg/ml of the tested compound. Proliferation was stimulated by concanavalin A (ConA) or pokeweed-mitogen (PWM). Secretion of IFN-gamma was stimulated by ConA. All concentrations of Polinacea exerted a mitogenic effect. With respect to control PBMC (0 microg/ml), the lowest and highest increase of proliferation were observed with Polinacea at 6.3 (2-fold increase) or 180 (10-fold increase) microg/ml, respectively. Polinacea at 180 microg/ml reduced ConA-driven proliferation, whereas at 20 and 60 microg/ml improved proliferation of PWM-stimulated PBMC. IFN-gamma secretion was not affected. In conclusion, Polinacea modulates bovine PBMC proliferation, and deserves to be tested in vivo to define conditions that may benefit from its utilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Husbandry, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine College, Xining, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nardone
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lacetera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020900:Echinacea / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008934:Mitogens; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D007371:Interferon-gamma