title: Onion peel water extracts enhance immune status in forced swimming rat model.
abstract: Onion peel contains a high concentration of quercetin and other flavonoids. In this study, the potential immune-enhancing effects of an onion peel water extract (OPE) supplement were investigated by the rat forced swimming test. OPE was prepared using hot water. Thirty-six male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a pellet diet for 1 week and were then randomly divided into six groups: normal control (NC), forced swimming control (FSC), positive control (quercetin 20 mg/kg), and three groups administered 4, 20, or 100 mg/kg of OPE. Oral drug administration was conducted daily for 4 weeks. All rats, except those of NC group, were forced to swim in water and were considered exhausted when they failed to rise to the water surface to breathe within a 7-s period. Blood lymphocyte counts, immune organ weights, histopathological analysis, and serum interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-12 levels were determined. OPE-treated rats consumed more food and had an increased thymic cortex to medulla ratio than that observed in FSC group rats (P<0.05). The area of the white pulp in the spleens of OPE-treated group rats was increased compared with that in FSC group rats (P<0.05). Furthermore, blood lymphocyte numbers and IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-12 concentrations were significantly higher in OPE-fed groups than in FSC group (P<0.05). These results suggest that an OPE supplement can improve the immune status by increasing the number of immune-related cells and specific cytokine levels.
authors: Center for Animal Resources Development, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
authors: Hyun-A
authors: HA
authors: Lee
authors: Center for Animal Resources Development, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
authors: Sang-Jun
authors: SJ
authors: Han
authors: Center for Animal Resources Development, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
authors: Sunhwa
authors: S
authors: Hong
authors: Center for Animal Resources Development, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
authors: Dong-Woo
authors: DW
authors: Kim
authors: Center for Animal Resources Development, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
authors: Gi-Wook
authors: GW
authors: Oh
authors: Center for Animal Resources Development, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea. ; Institute of Animal Experiment & Efficacy Evaluation, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
authors: Okjin
authors: O
authors: Kim
keywords: Allium cepa; cytokines; immune stimulation; onion peel; water extract
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