Immunomodulatory effects of crude phenylethanoid glycosides from Ligustrum purpurascens.
BACKGROUND
Ligustrum purpurascens, named as "Ku ding cha", has been used as a kind of functional tea in southern China for about two thousand years, which has the effects on diuresis, anti-hypertension, weight-loss and anti-inflammation.


OBJECTIVE
This study was aimed to investigate the immune enhancement effects of the crude phenylethanoid glycosides (CPGs) from Ligustrum. Purpurascens on mice and analyze the chemical profiles of phenylethanoid glycosides in the CPGs.


METHODS
The immune functions enhancing potential of CPGs was determined using serum hemolysin antibody, phagocytosis, splenocyte antibody production, and NK cells activity assays. The contents of five major constituents in the crude glycosides of Ligustrum purpurascens were determined by using liquid chromatography, other five glycosides were deduced according to their UV and MS spectra compared with the literature as well.


RESULTS
In the immunizing experiment, mice treated with different doses of CPGs showed an increase (p<0.01) in the haemagglutination titre compared with the control group. The increases (p<0.05) were found to be significant at doses of 440 mg/kg and 1.32 g/kg in the experiments of antibody production of spleen cells, MΦ phagocytosis of chicken RBCs and NK cell activity. Further chemical characterization yielded 10 constituents from CPGs, five glycosides were quantified by HPLC and the structures of other five compounds were speculated according to their UV and MS spectra.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested that phenylethanoid glycosides from Ligustrum purpurascens have immunomodulatory effects on mice.
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
Xun
X
Song
Chen-yang
CY
Li
Yong
Y
Zeng
Hai-qiang
HQ
Wu
Zhong
Z
Huang
Jian
J
Zhang
Rui-sha
RS
Hong
Xian-xiong
XX
Chen
Li-yan
LY
Wang
Xiao-peng
XP
Hu
Wei-wei
WW
Su
Yan
Y
Li
Zhen-dan
ZD
He
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002645:Chickens; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006027:Glycosides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D031659:Ligustrum; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D005894:Panax; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D018517:Plant Roots; D012756:Sheep; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies; D006027:Glycosides; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D010936:Plant Extracts