Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Evaluation of the immunomodulatory effects of a South African commercial traditional immune booster in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Authors: Mlungisi Ngcobo, Nceba Gqaleni

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2016

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

With the burden of HIV and AIDS still very high, South Africa has seen an increase in commercial traditional medicines claiming to have immune-enhancing effects. Because of lack of regulation of the traditional medicine sector, these products have proliferated. This study aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of uMakhonya®, a commercial traditional immune booster, using various models of normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Methods

Immunosuppressed, mitogen-, and peptidoglycan (PG)-stimulated PBMCs were treated with various doses of uMakhonya® and incubated for 24 h. The treated and control samples were analyzed for cytotoxicity, secretion of 12 different inflammatory cytokines, soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels, and nitric oxide (NO) secretion.

Results

In cytotoxicity assays, uMakhonya® induced dose-dependent cytotoxic effects in all three models, with IC50 values of 512.08, 500, and 487.91 μg/mL for immunosuppressed, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-, and PG from Staphylococcus. aureus (PG-S. aureus)-stimulated PBMCs, respectively. UMakhonya® at 100 and 10 μg/mL induced a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the secretion of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF)-α, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in cyclosporine-, immunosuppressed, and PHA-stimulated PBMCs. In the same samples, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in sIL-2R concentration, which correlated with an increase in the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. In PBMCs stimulated with PG-S. aureus, uMakhonya® at doses of 100 and 10 μg/mL significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, especially IL-1β and TNF-α. PG-S. aureus-stimulated PBMCs also showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in sIL-2R concentration when compared to control samples. UMakhonya® insignificantly (p > 0.05) decreased NO levels in PBMCs after PG-S. aureus stimulation.

Conclusions

These results showed that uMakhonya® can induce both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects depending on the initial stimuli applied to immune cells.
Literature
1.
Ndhlala AR, Stafford GI, Finnie JF, Van Staden J. Commercial herbal preparations in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: the urban face of traditional medicine. SA J Bot. 2011;77:830–43.CrossRef
2.
Mander M, Ntuli L, Diederichs N, Mavundla K. Economics of the traditional medicine trade in South Africa. In: Harrison S, Bhana R, Ntuli A, editors. South African health review. Pretoria: Health Systems Trust; 2007. p. 1–12.
3.
Gqaleni N, Ngcobo M, Parboosing R, Naidoo A. In vitro testing of African traditional medicines for cytotoxic, immune modulatory and anti-HIV activities. Afr J Trad Compl Altern Med. 2012;9:2–11.
4.
Ndhlala AR, Finnie JF, Van Staden J. In vitro antioxidant properties, HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effects of traditional herbal preparations sold in South Africa. Molecules. 2010;15:6888–904.CrossRefPubMed
5.
6.
Licciardi PV, Underwood JR. Plant-derived medicines: a novel class of immunological adjuvants. Int Immunopharmacol. 2011;11:390–8.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Lee H-K. Immunomodulation and traditional medicines: a reductionist or holistic approach? - editorial. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;136:377.CrossRef
8.
Alamgir M, Uddin SJ. Recent advances on the ethnomedicinal plants as immunomodulatory agents. In: Chattopadhyay D, editor. Ethnomedicine: a source of complementary therapeutics. Kerala, India: Research Signpost; 2010. p. 227–44.
9.
Agarwal SS, Singh VK. Immunomodulators: a review of studies on Indian medicinal plants and synthetic plants. PINSA B65. 1999;3-4:179–204.
10.
Yeap SK, Rahman MBA, Alitheen NB, Ho WY, Omar AR, Beh BK, et al. Evaluation of immunomodulatory effect: selection of the correct targets for immunostimulation study. Am J Immunol. 2011;7:17–23.CrossRef
11.
12.
Ngcobo M, Gqaleni N, Ndlovu V, Serumula M, Sibiya N. Immunomodulatory effects of umakhonya®: a South African commercial traditional immune booster. S Afr J Bot. 2016;102:26–32.CrossRef
13.
Leung TF, Wong KY, Wong CK, Fung KP, Lam CWK, Fok TF, et al. In vitro and clinical immunomodulatory effects of a novel pentaherbs concoction for atopic dermatitis. Br J Dermatol. 2007;158:1216–23.CrossRef
14.
Borish LC, Steinke JW. Cytokines and chemokines. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003;111:460–75.CrossRef
15.
Spelman K, Burns JJ, Nichols D, Winters N, Ottersberg S, Tenborg M. Modulation of cytokine expression by traditional medicines: a review of herbal immunomodulators. Altern Med Rev. 2006;11:128–50.PubMed
16.
17.
Siedler S, Zimmermann H, Weiskirchen R, Trautwein C, Tacke F. Elevated circulating soluble interleukin-2 receptor in patients with chronic liver diseases is associated with non-classical monocytes. BMC Gastroenterol. 2012;12:1–8.CrossRef
18.
Gooding R, Riches P, Dadian G, Moore J, Gore M. Increased soluble interleukin-2 receptor concentration in plasma predicts a decreased cellular response to IL-2. Br J Cancer. 1995;72:452–5.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
19.
Lee SKW, Wong CK, Poon PMK, Ip PSP, Che CT, Chung KP, et al. In vitro immunomodulatory activities of a newly concocted traditional Chinese medicine formula: VI-28. Phytother Res. 2006;20:883–8.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Mukherjee PK, Nema NK, Bhadra S, Mukherjee D, Braga FC, Matsabisa MG. Immunomodulatory leads from medicinal plants. Indian J Tradit Knowl. 2014;13:235–56.
21.
Schrijver IA, van Meurs M, Melief M-J, Ang CW, Buljevac D, Ravid R, et al. Bacterial peptidoglycan and immune reactivity in the central nervous system in multiple sclerosis. Brain. 2001;124:1544–54.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Sorbara MT, Philpott DJ. Peptidoglycan: a critical activator of the mammalian immune system during infection and homeostasis. Immunol Rev. 2011;243:40–60.CrossRefPubMed
23.
24.
Okai Y, Higashi-Okai K, Ishizaka S, Yamashita U. Enhancing effect of polysaccharides from an edible brown alga, Hijikia fusiforme (Hijiki), on release of tumor necrosis factor-α from macrophages of endotoxin-nonresponder C3H/Hej mice. Cancer Lett. 1997;27:74–9.
25.
Liu D, Keesing JK, He P, Wang Z, Shi Y, Wang Y. The world’s largest macroalgal bloom in the yellow Sea, China: formation and implications. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci. 2013;129:2–10.CrossRef
26.
Senthilkumar K, Manivasagan M, Venkatesan J, Kim S-K. Brown seaweed fucoidan: biological activity and apoptosis, growth signaling mechanism in cancer. Int J Bio Macromolecules. 2013;60:366–74.CrossRef
27.
Holdt S, Kraan S. Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation. J Appl Phycol. 2011;23:543–97.CrossRef
28.
Necas J, Bartosikova L. Carrageenan: a review. Vet Med. 2013;58:187–205.
29.
Wijesekara I, Pangestuti R, Kim SK. Biological activities and potential health benefits of sulfated polysaccharides derived from marine algae. Carbohyd Polym. 2011;84:14–21.CrossRef
30.
Hutchings A, Scott AH, Lewis G, Cunningham AB. Zulu medicinal plants: an inventory. Scottville: University of Natal Press; 1996.
31.
Bors M, Michalowicz J, Pilarski R, Sicińska P, Gulewicz K, Bukowska B. Studies of biological properties of Uncaria tomentosa extracts on human blood mononuclear cells. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012;142:669–78.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Sandoval M, Charbonnet RM, Okuhama NN, Roberts J, Krenova Z, Trentacosti AM, et al. Cat’s claw inhibits TNF-α production and scavenges free radicals: role in cytoprotection. Free Radic Biol Med. 2000;29:71–8.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Sheng Y, Bryngelsson C, Pero RW. Enhanced DNA repair, immune function and reduced toxicity of C-MED-100, a novel aqueous extract from Uncaria tomentosa. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000;69:115–26.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Sandoval M, Okuhama NN, Zhang X-J, Condezo LA, Lao J, Angeles FM, et al. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa and Uncaria guianensis) are independent of their alkaloid content. Phytomed. 2002;9:325–37.CrossRef
35.
Gutierrez RMP, Mitchell S, Solis RV. Psidium guajava: a review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008;117:1–27.CrossRefPubMed
36.
De Wet H, Nkwanyana MN, van Vuuren SF. Medicinal plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea in northern Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. J Ethnopharmacol. 2010;130:284–9.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Holetz FB, Pessini GL, Sanches NR, Cortez DA, Nakamura CV, Filho BP. Screening of some plants used in the Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of infectious diseases. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro. 2002;97:1027–31.CrossRef
38.
Gelfand M, Mavi S, Drummond RB, Ndemera B. The traditional medical practitioner in Zimbabwe. Gweru: Mambo Press; 1985.
39.
Rabe T, Van Staden J. Antibacterial activity of South African plants used for medicinal purposes. J Ethnopharmacol. 1997;56:81–7.CrossRefPubMed
40.
41.
Baibars M, Eng S, Shaheen K, Alraiyes AH, Alraies MC. Menthol toxicity: an unusual cause of coma. Case Rep Med. 2012;1–3.
42.
Kengatharan KM, De-Kimpe S, Robson C, Foster SJ, Thiemermann C. Mechanism of gram-positive shock: identification of peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid moieties essential in the induction of nitric oxide synthase, shock, and multiple organ failure. J Exp Med. 1998;188:305–15.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
43.
Li H, Förstermann U. Nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of vascular disease. J Pathol. 2000;90:244–54.CrossRef
44.
Jacob T, Ascher E, Vorsanger M, Hingorani A, Kallakuri S, Yorkovich W, Schuzter R. Decreased production of nitric oxide by pperipheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with peripheral vascular disease. Vasc Endovascular Surg. 2005;39:175–81.CrossRefPubMed
45.
46.
Patil GV, Dass SK, Chandra R. Artemisia afra and modern diseases. Pharmacogenomics Pharmacoproteomics. 2001;2:1–22.
47.
Jimenez-Escrig A, Jimenez-Jimenez I, Pulido R, Saura-Calixto F. Antioxidant activity of fresh and processed edible seaweeds. J Sci Food Agric. 2001;81:530–4.CrossRef
48.
Ogunlana OE, Ogunlana OO. In vitro assessment of the free radical scavenging activity of Psidium Guajava. Res J Agric Biol Sci. 2008;4:666–71.
49.
Romero-Jimenez M, Campos-Sanchez J, Analla M, Munoz-Serrano A, Alonso-Moraga A. Genotoxicity and anti-genotoxicity of some traditional medicinal herbs. Mutat Res. 2005;585:147–55.CrossRefPubMed
50.
Clement-Kruzel S, Hwang S-A, Kruzel MC, Dasgupta A, Actor JK. Immune modulation of macrophage pro-inflammatory response by goldenseal and Astragalus extracts. J Med Food. 2010;11:493–8.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Evaluation of the immunomodulatory effects of a South African commercial traditional immune booster in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells
Authors
Mlungisi Ngcobo
Nceba Gqaleni
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-016-1294-7

Other articles of this Issue 1/2016

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2016 Go to the issue

Research article

In vitro antibacterial activity and in vivo efficacy of hydrated clays on Mycobacterium ulcerans growth

Study protocol

Self-administered acupressure for symptom management among Chinese family caregivers with caregiver stress: a randomized, wait-list controlled trial

Study protocol

Effects of osteopathic treatment on pulmonary function and chronic thoracic pain after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (OstinCaRe): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Research article

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as part of primary health care in Germany–comparison of patients consulting general practitioners and CAM practitioners: a cross-sectional study

Research article

Aqueous extract of Lithospermi radix attenuates oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity in both in vitro and in vivo models

Erratum

Erratum to: Role of quercetin and arginine in ameliorating nano zinc oxide-induced nephrotoxicity in rats