Immune modulatory effects of Prunella vulgaris L. on monocytes/macrophages

  • Authors:
    • Xuya Fang
    • Mabel Man-Shan Yu
    • Wai-Hung Yuen
    • Sze Yong Zee
    • Raymond Chuen-Chung Chang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: December 1, 2005     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.16.6.1109
  • Pages: 1109-1116
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Abstract

Prunella vulgaris L. (Labiatae), a popular Western and Chinese herbal medicine, has long been associated with anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects. While its anti-viral effects are attributed mainly to the inhibition of virus replication, the biological mechanisms of its anti-bacterial effects remain unknown. As a biological response modifier (BRM), the polysaccharides isolated from P. vulgaris have been shown to up-regulate the immune responses of monocytes/macrophages. However, the immune stimulatory effects seem to contradict its well-known anti-inflammatory properties. We hypothesized that the anti-microbial effects exhibited by the polysaccharides isolated from P. vulgaris encompass both anti-inflammatory and immune stimulatory effects. One of the polysaccharide fractions PV2IV markedly stimulated the production of superoxide and nitrite representing nitric oxide from murine macrophage RAW264.7 and brain macrophage BV2 cells. The amount of nitrite and superoxide produced after PV2IV stimulation was as high as that stimulated by bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, PV2IV also increased cellular protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and mRNA for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα). Similar to the effects of a high dose of LPS, the fraction PV2 could trigger activation-induced cell death (AICD) by stimulating caspase-3 activity and reduction of MTT uptake in monocytes/macrophages. These results may help our understanding of the molecular mechanism of P. vulgaris, which exhibited both immune stimulatory and anti-inflammatory effects against microbial invasion.

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December 2005
Volume 16 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Spandidos Publications style
Fang X, Yu MM, Yuen W, Zee SY and Chang RC: Immune modulatory effects of Prunella vulgaris L. on monocytes/macrophages. Int J Mol Med 16: 1109-1116, 2005.
APA
Fang, X., Yu, M.M., Yuen, W., Zee, S.Y., & Chang, R.C. (2005). Immune modulatory effects of Prunella vulgaris L. on monocytes/macrophages. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 16, 1109-1116. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.16.6.1109
MLA
Fang, X., Yu, M. M., Yuen, W., Zee, S. Y., Chang, R. C."Immune modulatory effects of Prunella vulgaris L. on monocytes/macrophages". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 16.6 (2005): 1109-1116.
Chicago
Fang, X., Yu, M. M., Yuen, W., Zee, S. Y., Chang, R. C."Immune modulatory effects of Prunella vulgaris L. on monocytes/macrophages". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 16, no. 6 (2005): 1109-1116. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.16.6.1109