title: Evaluation of immunomodulatory effect of three herbal plants growing in Egypt.
abstract: A group of medicinal plant including Silene (Silene nocturna), Black seed (Nigella sativa) and Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) growing in Egypt were examined for their immunomodulatory effect in Balb/c mice. Treatment (intraperitoneal injection) with five doses of methanolic extract for each plant was found to enhance the total white blood cells count (up to 1.2 × 10(4) cells/mm(3)). Bone marrow cellularity also increased significantly (P < 0.01) after the administration of the extract of each of three test plants. Furthermore, spleen weight of the treated groups was significantly increased (P < 0.01). Two groups of mice were immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide, the one which pretreated with the plants extracts significantly (P < 0.01) restored their resistance against lethal infection with the predominately granulocyte-dependant Candida albicans. These results confirm the immunomodulatory activity of Silene, Black seed, and Chamomile extracts and may have therapeutical implications in prophylactic treatment of opportunistic infections and as supportive treatment in oncogenic cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Helwan, Egypt. drmohammedghonime@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghonime
authors.forename: Ramadan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eldomany
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdelaziz
authors.forename: Hesham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soliman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004534:Egypt; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D031168:Matricaria / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D031881:Nigella sativa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029751:Silene / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003520:Cyclophosphamide