Effect of Herbal Formulation on Immune Response Enhancement in RAW 264.7 Macrophages

Abstract

Immune response is a necessary self-defense mechanism that protects the host from infectious organisms. Many medicinal plants are popularly used in Asian folk medicine to increase body resistance. An herbal formulation named KM1608 was prepared from three medicinal plants: Saussurea lappa, Terminalia chebula, and Zingiber officinale. In this study, we evaluated the immune stimulatory effect of KM1608 on RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. Network pharmacological analyses were used to predict potential immune response pathways of major compounds from KM1608. The cytotoxicity and immuno-stimulating effect of KM1608 were determined using cell viability and nitric oxide assays. The underlying mechanism of immunomodulatory activity was evaluated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The results of network pharmacological analysis suggested that major compounds from KM1608 possess anticancer potential via immune signaling pathways. After treatment with KM1608 at 25–100 µg/mL for 24 h, the level of nitric oxide was increased in the dose-dependent manner. The results of quantitative real-time PCR showed that KM1608 stimulates the expression of immune cytokines (interferon (IFN)-α, -β, IL-1β, -6, IL-10, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)) in macrophages. KM1608 extract is a potential agent for immune response enhancement.

Phyto-Mediated Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Terminalia chebula Fruit Extract and Evaluation of Its Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Potential

“…It also has an excellent antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, antiaging activities [13]. T. chebula can also act as antiviral agent by activating the macrophage/monocyte of the system and also helps in the release TNF and interferon in the host cells [14]. In addition, T. chebula has been reported to be cytotoxic against cancer cell lines at higher concentrations.…”

Enhanced immune response by vacuoles isolated fromSaccharomyces cerevisiaein RAW 264.7 macrophages

“…Macrophages play several important roles in the immune system. First, free radicals are produced and secreted to kill bacteria, and external bacterial proteins degraded in macrophages are presented on their surface, and information of foreign substances invading T cells is transmitted [17]. Among the immune response mediators produced at this time, various substances such as NO, ROS, histamine, and cytokines are included.…”

“…Moreover, among pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α is a cytokine that plays an important role in several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. TNF-α is mainly produced in activated macrophages and functions to enhance antitumor activity and the ability to kill infected cells [17]. IL-6 is a cytokine that plays an important role in acute-phase response, inflammation, hematopoiesis, and progression of cancer, and performs the body's defense function against antigens introduced from the outside [18].…”

Targeting the tumor immune microenvironment with “nutraceuticals”: From bench to clinical trials

“…The combined immunomodulatory effect of Saussurea lappa C. B. Clarke, Terminalia chebula Retz, and Zingiber officinale Roscoe in the formulation KM1608 was evaluated. All these medicinal plants individually possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer activities (Trinh et al, 2020) due to the many phytochemicals they contain (e.g., dehydrocostus lactone, ellagic acid, and 6-gingerol). KM1608 increased interferon (IFN-α and IFN-β), cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10) and proinflammatory enzyme (iNOS and COX2) levels, and network pharmacological analyses identified several genes related to the immune response (Trinh et al, 2020).…”