Abstract
Macrophages have an important role in host defense against fungal infections such as candidiasis. Active components such as polysaccharides, lectins, proteins, and peptides present in plants have been shown to stimulate the immune system. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunostimulatory effects of water, ethanol, and acetone extracts of Ziziphora tenuior (Z. tenuior) on murine peritoneal mactophages in vitro. Murine peritoneal macrophages were treated with different concentrations of Z. tenuior extracts. The viability of macrophages and nitric oxide production were evaluated using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiaozle-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyle-tetra zolium bromide (MTT) assay and Griess method, respectively. In addition, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and fungicidal activity were evaluated by nitrobiue tetrazolium (NBT) assay and killing method, respectively. A significant increase in macrophage activity was observed with water extract of Z. tenuior (P < 0.05). Moreover, this extract showed a significant inducing effect on the levels of ROS and a strong fungicidal activity in treated macrophages at concentrations of 10 and 20 mg/ml (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Z. tenuior extract demonstrated significant immunostimulatory activity using MTT, NBT, and killing assays on Candida albicans. To clarify the exact machanisms of this activity, more studies should be performed with isolated immunostimulatory components.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00580-009-0885-9/MediaObjects/580_2009_885_Fig1_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00580-009-0885-9/MediaObjects/580_2009_885_Fig2_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00580-009-0885-9/MediaObjects/580_2009_885_Fig3_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00580-009-0885-9/MediaObjects/580_2009_885_Fig4_HTML.gif)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anaissie E, McGinnis M, Pfaller M (2003) Clinical Mycology, pp 443–448, 195–225. Churchill Livingstone
Choi HS, Yim JH, Lee HK, Pyo S (2008) Immunomodulatory effects of polar lichens on the function of macrophages in vitro. Mar Biotechnol 11:90–98
Davis L, Kuttan G (2000) Immunomodulatory activity of withania somnifera. J Ethnopharmacol 71:193–200
Ebtakar M, Yaraee R (2006) Kinetics of nitric oxide production and MTT reduction by HSV-1 infected macrophages. Ir J Med Sci 31:9–13
Eggimann P, Garbino J, Pittet D (2003) Management of Candida species infections in critically ill patients. Lancet Infect Dis 3:772–785
Gentle TA, Thompson RA (1990) Clinical Immunology; a practical approach. In: H.C. Gool (ed), Oxford University Press, New York, USA, pp 56-58
Ghazanfari T, Hassan Z, Ebrahimi M (2002) Immunomodulatory activity of a protein isolated from garlic extract on delayed hypersensitivity. Int J Immunopharmacol 2:1541–1549
Hajto T, Hostanska K, Weber K, Zinke H, Fischer J, Mengs U, Lentzen H, Saller R (1998) Effect of a recombinant lectin, Viscum album agglutinin on the secretion of interleukin-12 in cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and on NK-cell-mediated cytotoxicity of rat splenocytes in vitro and in vivo. Nat Immun 16(1):34–46
Jorjani SE (2005) Al-Aghraz al-tibbia Val Mobahess al-alaiia, 1st edn.(trans: Tajdbakhsh). Tehran publication, Iran
Khan ZU, Chandy R, Metwali KE (2003) Candida albicans strain carriage in patients and nursing staff of an intensive care unit: a study of morphotypes and resistotypes. Mycoses 46:476–486
Klepser ME (2001) Antifungal resistance among Candida species. Pharmacother 21:124S–132S
Kuttan G (2000) Immunomodulatory effect of some naturally occuring sulphur-containing compounds. J Ethnopharmacol 72:93–99
Kuttan G, Kuttan R (1992) Immunomodulatory activity of a peptide isolated from Viscum album extract. Immunol Invest 21(4):285–296
Loyda W, Gaziri DA, Gazir LCJ (2002) Concanavalin A enhances phagocytosis and killing of C. albicans by mice peritoneal neutrophils and macrophages. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol 33:201–208
Murad JM, Cavi SA, Soares AMVC (2002) Effects of propolis from Brazil and Bulgaria on fungicidal activity of macrophages aginst Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. J Ethnopharmacol 79:331–334
National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (1997) Performance standards for antimicrobial disk susceptibility test, 6th edn. Approved standard, M2-A6, Wayne, PA
Rao YK, Fang SH, Tzeng YM (2005) Inhibitory effects of the flavonoids isolated from Waltheria indica on the production of NO, TNF-a and IL-12 in activated macrophages. Biol Pharm Bull 28:912–915
Salehi Surmaghi H (ed) (2006) Medicinal plants and phytotherapy. Donyaee Taghazie, Tehran, Iran, pp 55–585
Tavonti A, Campa D, Bertozzi A (2006) Candida albicans isolates with different genomic backgrounds display a differential response to macrophage infection. Microb Infect 8:791–800
Thejass P, Kuttan G (2007) Immunomodulatory activity of sulforaphane, a naturally accruing isothicyanate from broccoli (Brassica oleracea). Phytomed 14:538–545
Vazques-Torres A, Balish E (1997) Macrophages in resistance to candidiasis. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 61:170–192
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Department of Immunology, Shahed University for their kind help with the immunologic tests. Also, we are grateful to Mr. H. Smaeil-Zade Nami and Mr. D. Jamali for their help.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Naeini, A., Khosravi, A., Tadjbakhsh, H. et al. Evaluation of the immunostimulatory activity of Ziziphora tenuior extracts. Comp Clin Pathol 19, 459–463 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-009-0885-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-009-0885-9