title: Kaempferitrin induces immunostimulatory effects in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Justicia spicigera is a plant used as immunostimulatory in Mexican traditional medicine. Recently, we showed that Justicia spicigera extracts exerted immunostimulatory effects and the major component of this extract was kaempferitrin (KM). This work shows a correlation between the medical traditional use of Justicia spicigera and kaempferitrin, its active compound.
  
  
  METHODS
  The in vitro immunostimulatory effects of KM were evaluated on the proliferation of murine splenocytes and macrophages, and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The effects of KM on NO production, lysosomal enzyme activity and neutral red uptake were assayed in murine macrophages RAW 264.7. The effects of KM on the NK cell activity were also assayed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  KM at 25μM, the highest concentration tested, increased the proliferation of murine macrophages (23%) and splenocytes (17%), and human PBMC (24%) in the absence of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), compared to untreated cells. KM also stimulated the pinocytosis (25%) and lysosomal enzyme activity (57%) in murine macrophages with a similar potency than LPS 1μg/ml. In addition, KM induced the NK cell activity (11%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  KM exerts immunostimulatory effects on immune responses mediated by splenocytes, macrophages, PBMC and NK cells.
authors.affiliation: División de Investigación Básica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, D.F., México.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Carmen Juárez-Vázquez
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Josabad Alonso-Castro
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Carrancá
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D044949:Kaempferols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D044949:Kaempferols; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C042728:lespenefril