Antioxidant and Immune Stimulating Effects of Allium hookeri Extracts in the RAW 264.7 Cells and Immune-Depressed C57BL/6 Mice

Abstract

We investigated the antioxidant and immune-enhancing effects of the extracts from Allium hookeri leaves and roots (AHL and AHR) in in vitro and in vivo models. Their antioxidant effects were determined by total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. The immunomodulatory effects were evaluated by nitric oxide (NO) production and cytokine concentrations produced from RAW 264.7, and by serum IgA and IgG levels, cytokine levels, and NK cell activities in the immunosuppressed C57BL/6 mice. AHL and AHR extracts improved antioxidant activities and productions of NO and cytokines without cytotoxicity in the RAW 264.7 cells. AHL and AHR groups showed significantly higher serum IgA and IgG levels, Th1 cytokine concentrations, splenocyte proliferations, and NK cell activities than the NC group which was not treated with AHL or AHR extract. AHR extract showed higher values than AHL extract in the factors evaluated in this study. The results show that they have high antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects and can be used as novel potential therapeutic candidates to treat related diseases and to improve public health.

The Immune-Stimulating and Anti-Diabetic Effects of Allium hookeri Leaves Grown in a Plant Factory with Artificial Lights in Immunosuppressed Obese C57BL/6 Mice

“…The final body weights of mice treated with A. hookeri leaf extracts increased and were comparable to those of the NOR group, which was not immunosuppressed with CPA. In a previous study, the administration of A. hookeri leaf and root extracts improved the final body weights of immunosuppressed mice [ 35 ]. A. hookeri leaf groups showed higher spleen and thymus weights than those of the NC group among all immunosuppressed mice and reached those of the NOR group.…”

“…Previous studies investigated that A. cepa skin and P. basummii improved NK cell activity in the blood, spleen, and peritoneal cells of immunosuppressed mice [ 42 , 44 ]. A. hookeri leaves and roots stimulated NK cell activity against Yac-1 in splenocytes of immunosuppressed mice [ 35 ]. The mild NK cell activities in the A. hookeri leaf groups may be explained with the relatively lower CPA treatment at 100 mg/kg BW by 2 times on −3 and −1 day before the experiment, which were treated at 150 and 100 mg/kg BW in previous trials for the immunosuppressed model.…”

Antioxidant and Immune Stimulating Effects of Allium cepa Skin in the RAW 264.7 Cells and in the C57BL/6 Mouse Immunosuppressed by Cyclophosphamide

“…Previous study reported that the NO production of onion and methanol extract from onion was 1.09 μM and 1.41 μM at 1000 μg/mL, respectively [ 46 ]. A. hookeri stimulated the production of NO in RAW 264.7 cells [ 18 , 47 ]. NO regulates the adaptive immune response and depresses or stimulates the pro-inflammatory cytokine expression [ 48 , 49 ].…”

“…The spleen, a lymphoid organ, constitutes the main filter of the body of blood-borne antigens, and the site of differentiation and homing of inflammatory macrophages, granulocytes, and NK cells [ 64 ]. In the previous study, the extract of A. hookeri leaves and roots improved the proliferation of splenocytes [ 18 ]. The polysaccharide of Cyclocarya paliurus recovered the proliferation of splenocytes in CPA-induced immunosuppression mice model in the presence of Con A and LPS [ 57 ].…”

“…Total phenolic content (TPC) assay was conducted by the method of Jeong et al [ 18 ]. Twenty microliters sample was mixed with 80 μL of DW and 40 μL of 100% Folin–Ciocalteu’s phenol reagent in a 96 well plate, and it was incubated at RT for 3 min.…”