title: Immunomodulatory activity of mefenamic acid in mice models of cell-mediated and humoral immunity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previously, different nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been evaluated for their potential immunomodulatory activities. Mefenamic acid is a well-known NSAID and is used in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, inflammation, fever, and pain. To the best of our knowledge, promising data regarding the immunomodulatory activity of mefenamic acid is scarce. Current study investigates the immunomodulatory activity of mefenamic acid in different models of cell-mediated and humoral immunity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunomodulatory effects on cell-mediated immunity were evaluated using dinitrochlorobenzene-induced delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) and cyclophosphamide-induce myelosuppression assays. While effects on humoral immunity were evaluated using hemagglutination assay and mice lethality test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hematological analysis showed that mefenamic acid significantly reduced white blood cell count, red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin content, lymphocytes levels, and neutrophils levels in healthy mice as compared with control, suggesting the immunosuppressive activity of mefenamic acid. Treatment with mefenamic acid also significantly reduced all the hematological parameters in cyclophosphamide-induced neutropenic mice, as compared with positive control group. We found that treatment with mefenamic acid significantly suppressed DTH after 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h, as compared with positive control group. Mefenamic acid treated groups showed a significant reduction in antibody titer against sheep RBCs as compared to control group, similar to the effect of cyclophosphamide. We also found increased mice lethality rate in mefenamic acid treated groups, as compared with positive control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results provided basic information of immunosuppression of mefenamic acid on both cell-mediated and humoral immunity.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Section, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Arham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shabbir
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Section, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Hafiza Maida
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Arshad
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahzad
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Section, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shamsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Imran
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ashraf
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D008528:Mefenamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D006454:Hemoglobins; D008528:Mefenamic Acid
keywords: Cell-mediated immunity; humoral immunity; immunomodulation; mefenamic acid; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs