title: An Investigation into the Immunomodulatory Activities of Sutherlandia frutescens in Healthy Mice.
abstract: Sutherlandia frutescens is a medicinal plant that has been traditionally used in southern Africa for cancers, infections, and inflammatory conditions. We recently published experiments demonstrating that an aqueous extract of S. frutescens possessed potent immune-stimulatory activity. This work was carried out with murine macrophages, an immune cell type that plays a pivotal role in host defense from infection and in shaping host inflammatory and immune responses. Here, we conducted a series of follow-up experiments to explore the impact of consuming S. frutescens on host response to bacterial challenge using healthy mice. We found that feeding mice a diet containing S. frutescens failed to significantly alter host response to systemic infection by either a gram-positive or gram-negative bacterium (i.e., L. monocytogenes and E. coli, respectively). In contrast to the in vitro observations, we found no evidence that S. frutescens consumption stimulated in vivo inflammatory responses; instead, consumption of S. frutescens tended to diminish in vivo inflammatory responses. Several possible reasons for this are discussed.
authors: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Lei
authors: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America.
authors: Jimmy D
authors: JD
authors: Browning
authors: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America.
authors: Peggy A
authors: PA
authors: Eichen
authors: Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America.
authors: William R
authors: WR
authors: Folk
authors: Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America.
authors: Grace Y
authors: GY
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America.
authors: Dennis B
authors: DB
authors: Lubahn
authors: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America.|Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America.
authors: Kevin L
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0740-3801
authors: KL
authors: Fritsche
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000353:Africa, Southern; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts