• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.745-754
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• 2021

Deterioration of the immune function weakens the body's resistance to various infections, leading to a series of diseases. Immunomodulatory biomaterials have been used to reduce the side effects of immunosuppressants or to enhance immunity. Agarwood is the aromatic resinous portion of Aquilaria trees that has been traditionally used as a medicinal herb for the treatment of various diseases. Although previous studies have shown that agarwood can improve the body's immunity, evidence for this claim is still lacking. In this study, the immune-enhancing effects of the agarwood methanol extracts of Aquilaria malaccensis Lamk were evaluated in a RAW 264.7 macrophage model. Based on the results, the agarwood extracts markedly enhanced phagocytosis in the absence of cytotoxicity. The agarwood extract-treated RAW 264.7 cells exhibited the typical morphology of activated macrophages, which are spindle-shaped with elongated filopodia. Agarwood extract also significantly increased the production of nitric oxide (NO), which is associated with the increased expression of inducible NO synthase. Moreover, the secretion and expression levels of cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6, were increased by agarwood treatment. Notably, these are also associated with a mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings provide scientific evidence that agarwood has potential immune-enhancing effects in vitro.