New promising Euphorbiaceae extracts with activity in human lymphocytes from primary cell cultures.
BACKGROUND
Euphorbiaceae plants exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.


METHODS
We evaluated the activity of 14 extracts from seven Euphorbiaceae plants on primary immune cell cultures from healthy individuals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were exposed to the extracts w/o phytohaemagglutinin A or cycloheximide as agents that induce proliferation or apoptosis in PBMC, respectively.


RESULTS
We found that five up to 14 Euphorbiaceae's extracts had the ability to modulate at least one of the immune parameters evaluated in this study. However, only the latex extracts of Euphorbia cotinifolia and Euphorbia tirucalli strongly induced both proliferation and apoptosis in PBMC. These extracts were further subfractioned by silica gel column chromatography. Two subfractions with enhanced activity in comparison to the crude extracts were obtained. Although these subfractions induced proliferation on both CD3(+) and CD3(-) cells, the most prominent effects were observed in the former subpopulation. Interestingly, the subfraction from E. tirucalli induced lymphocyte proliferation without the need of accessory cells; this ability was not inhibited by the carbohydrates d-galactose and α-Methyl-D-Mannopyranoside.


CONCLUSIONS
Altogether, these results reveal the presence of novel candidates within the Euphorbia plants to induce proliferation and apoptosis in human lymphocytes, mainly in CD3(+) T cells.
Llanes-Coronel
Doris S
DS
Group of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. dsllanes@hotmail.com
Gámez-Díaz
Laura Y
LY
Suarez-Quintero
Leidy P
LP
Páez
Lady J
LJ
Torres
Fernando
F
Echeverri
Fernando
F
Ponte-Sucre
Alicia
A
Patiño
Pablo J
PJ
Trujillo-Vargas
Claudia M
CM
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019665:Euphorbiaceae / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000276:immunology; D061251:Primary Cell Culture
D010936:Plant Extracts