title: Immunomodulatory activity of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Salvia officinalis L. and Syzygium aromaticum L. essential oils: evidence for humor- and cell-mediated responses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The immunomodulatory effect of ginger, Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae), sage, Salvia officinalis (Lamiaceae) and clove, Syzygium aromaticum (Myrtaceae), essential oils were evaluated by studying humor- and cell-mediated immune responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Essential oils were administered to mice (once a day, orally, for a week) previously immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clove essential oil increased the total white blood cell (WBC) count and enhanced the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response in mice. Moreover, it restored cellular and humoral immune responses in cyclophosphamide-immunosuppressed mice in a dose-dependent manner. Ginger essential oil recovered the humoral immune response in immunosuppressed mice. Contrary to the ginger essential oil response, sage essential oil did not show any immunomodulatory activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings establish that the immunostimulatory activity found in mice treated with clove essential oil is due to improvement in humor- and cell-mediated immune response mechanisms.
authors: Laboratory of Inflammation, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors: Fábio Ricardo
authors: FR
authors: Carrasco
authors: Gustavo
authors: G
authors: Schmidt
authors: Adriano Lopez
authors: AL
authors: Romero
authors: Juliano Luiz
authors: JL
authors: Sartoretto
authors: Silvana Martins
authors: SM
authors: Caparroz-Assef
authors: Ciomar Aparecida
authors: CA
authors: Bersani-Amado
authors: Roberto Kenji Nakamura
authors: RK
authors: Cuman
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020939:Zingiber officinale; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027543:Salvia officinalis; D012756:Sheep; D027842:Syzygium
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils