title: Gymnemic Acid Stimulates In Vitro Splenic Lymphocyte Proliferation.
abstract: Gymnemic acid is a mixture of triterpenoid saponins of oleanane class, isolated from Gymnema sylvestre Wild R.Br (family: Asclepidaceae), an herbal plant used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes. Effect of gymnemic acid (0.1-20 µg/mL) on in vitro mitogen (concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide)-induced splenic lymphocyte proliferation was studied using rat as model. Significant (p < 0.05) stimulation of lymphoproliferation was observed in cultures treated with 10 and 20 µg/mL concentration of gymnemic acid in the absence or presence of mitogens. The present study suggests that gymnemic acid has immunomodulatory property, stimulating lymphoid components of immune system, and the traditional knowledge of anti-diabetic property of G. sylvestre is scientifically supplemented with its immunomodulatory properties.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, U.P., India.
authors.forename: Vineet Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, U.P., India.
authors.forename: Padmanabh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dwivedi
authors.affiliation: Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, U.P., India.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Udai Pratap Autonomous College, Varanasi, 221002, U.P., India.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D031104:Gymnema sylvestre / Q000737:chemistry*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes; C007898:gymnemic acid
keywords: Gymnema sylvestre; gymnemic acid; immunomodulaton; lymphocyte proliferation; traditional medicine