• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.43-46
• /
• 2009

The immunosuppressive properties of flavonoids were examined for the first time by testing their effects on T-cell-mediated antibody production, using a classical plague-forming cell (PFC) assay in mice. Among the tested flavonoids including naringenin, chrysin, flavonol, galangin, quercetin, morin, myricetin and biochanin A, only quercetin, orally administered at 25 mg/kg, significantly inhibited the number of IgMproducing PFCs induced by sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Interestingly, biochanin A (isoflavone) increased the number of PFCs, suggesting an immunostimulatory effect. The other flavonoids tested did not inhibit or enhance PFC response significantly. Quercetin was also found to show thymus atrophy dose-dependently at 5-500 mg/kg. All these results indicate that quercetin inhibits in vivo antibody production probably by inhibiting T-cell function.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.44-50
• /
• 2005

Natural products are increasingly appreciated as a lead for drug discovery and development. A number of investigators have studied various activities of natural products and have found that they have not only nutritional effects but also beneficial properties to cure various diseases and to maintain good health. Job's Tear(Yul-Moo) is a grass crop that have long been used in traditional medicine and a nourishing food. Job's Tear has been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory, stomachic, antiallergic activity, and antispastic effects and has been used in China for the treatment of warts, rheumatism, and neuralgia although its mechanism remains unclear. Previous results in our laboratory demonstrated that the ethanol extract and water extract of Job's Tear exerted an immune regulatory function on mice cells in vitro. The present study was performed to investigate the ex vivo effect of Job's Tear on immune function. Seven to eight weeks old mices(Balb/c) were fed ad libitum on chow diet and water extract of Job's Tear were orally administrated every other day for two or four weeks at two different concentrations (50 and 500mg/kg B.W.). Proliferation of mice spenocytes and antibody production to sheep red blood cells(SRBC) using hemolytic plague forming cell assay were used to indicate the immune activity. Splenocytes proliferation of Job's Tear with mitogen stimulation such as Con A and LPS was enhanced at 50 mg/kg B.W. concentrations compared to those of control group. In case of antibody production to sheep red blood cells, the number of antibody- secreting cells was increased by administration of 50mg/kg B.W. concentration in mice immunized as a T-dependent antigen. From the present study, Job's Tear water extracts may be suggested to stimulate the mice immune response by enhancing the splenocytes proliferation and the number of plague forming cells.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.303-310
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate immunofunctional activity of the polyphenol fractions isolated from Korean pear. In the experimental of Rosette forming cell, the results showed that all the polyphenol fractions enhance the cell count compared with the control group. Especially polyphenol fraction II and III showed highly significant effect on Rosette forming cell, and allergy inhibition. After antigen challenge, histamine content of blood of the polyphenol groups was lowered to near the normal group.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.348-364
• /
• 1990

The activities of twenty-one flavonoids and their related compounds on the hypersensitivity reaction against various antigens were studied in vitro and in vivo. 1. Generally flavonoids inhibited significantly the homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) induced by reaginic antibody as compared as anaphylaxis by compound 48/80-induced mast cell degranulation, and so more strongly active in the IgE-mediated anaphylaxis than non-IgE-mediated anaphylaxis. 2. Flavonids inhibited remarkably Arths reaction, hemolysin titer, delayed hypersensitivity, haemagglutinin titer, rosette forming cells and plague forming cells against sheep red blood cells, and so it exhibited that flavonoids inhibited type 2, 3 and 4 hypersensitivity. 3. Quercetin, kaempferol, hesperetin, disodium cromoglycate, malvin and baicalein were active dose-dependently in the all types of hypersensitivity. Fisetin, daidzein, morin, narigin, flavone, catechin, rutin, hesperidin, neophsperidin, apigenin and chrysin were significantly active in the various types of hypersensitivity, but apigenin, rutin and catechin were less active in the delayed hypersensitivity. Taxifolin was significantly active in PCA and histamine-induced anaphylaxis except other types of hypersensitivity. Rotenone and cyanin also inhibited all types of hypersensitivity, but they are toxic. 4. Based on these results from hypersensitivity, the following flavonoid structure-activity relationships became apparent. 1) Flavonoids with $C_{2-3}$ double bond in C-ring were more active than that of $C_{2-3}$ saturation. 2) Flavonoids with $C_4$ ketone group in C-ring were more active than abscence of them except catechin and malvin. 3) Flavonoids with benzene ring at positions 2 or 3 in C-ring exhibited same activities. 4) Flavonoids with opening of the C-ring does not abolish their activities. 5) The glycosylated flavonoids in position 3 or 7 was less active than their aglycone. 6) Flavonoids with the more hydroxy group in A and B-ring were more active. 7) Flavonoids with or without $C_3-OH$ did not change their activities.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.269-274
• /
• 2008

Plants have long been used as a food source in Korea. In this study, we investigated the combined immunomodulative effects of a water extract mixture of(pine needles, Sedum sarmentosum Bunge, hijkiaorme, buckwheat and Peril a leaves) on Balb/c mice $7{\sim}8$ weeks old. The mice were fed a chow diet ad libitum and the plant extract was orally administered every other day for four weeks at two different concentrations(50 and 500 mg/kg BW). After preparing the single-cell suspension, splenocyte proliferation was determined by the MTT(3-[4,5-di-methylthiazol-2-y]-2,5-diphenyl terazolium bromide) assay. After 48hrs of incubation with the mitogens(ConA or LPS) splenocyte from the mice groups administered 50 and 500 mg/kg BW of the plant extract showed a significant increased in proliferation compared to the control group. A hemolytic plague forming cell assay was used to indicate antibody production against sheep red blood cells(SRBC). The number of antibody-secreting cells T-dependent antigen. The result of this study suggest that supplementation with this plant extract may regulate immune function by increasing splenocyte proliferation and the number of plaque forming cells.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.702-708
• /
• 1998

The effects of mushrooms such as Lentinus edodes and Pleurotus ostreatus on anti-cancer activity through in vivo and in vitro experiments were powders of protein-bound polysaccharides in mushrooms were solubilized in 0, 5, 25 mg/kg saline, respectively and were used in vitro experiments. The in vivo experiments were carried out as followed: i) anti-cancer activities on Leukemia $(L_{1210})$, Hepatlicus cancer $(H_{22})$ and Sarcoma180/(S180), and ii) the effect on immune system through changes in intestine weight and the number of hemolytic plague forming cells. Protein-bound polysaccharides of all showed anti-cancer activity on $L_{1210}$ and fruit body of Lentinus edodes 25 mg/kg treatment group showed the highest inhibition rate (86%). Pleurotus ostreatus mycelial in medium of cultivate 25 mg/kg treatment. Fruid body of Lentinus edodes 25 mg/kg treatment group showed the highest inhibition rate (86% and 71%, respectively) on $H_{22}$ among them. The inhibition rates of fruit body and mycelial of Lentinus edodes 25 mg/kg treatment groups on S180 were 33.9% and 30.9%, respectively. Each samples of 50, 100, 200, $400\;{\mu}g/{\mu}L$ on in vitro cell toxicity test did not show significantly different cell death rates at P<0.05. In immune test, weights of liver and spleen were increased according to increase in conc. but were not significantly different at P<0.05. The weights of thymus were heavy in fruit body and mycelial of Lentinus edodes treatment group but were not significantly different at P<0.05. Hemolytic plague forming cells with antibody formation capability were significantly high in fruit body and mycelial of Lentinus edodes treatment samples.