Food and Agricultural Immunology (Jan 2019)

Immune-enhancing effects of Portulaca oleracea L.– based complex extract in cyclophosphamide-induced splenocytes and immunosuppressed rats

  • Young Mi Park,
  • Hak Yong Lee,
  • Yang Gyu Kang,
  • Sang Hoon Park,
  • Bong Gun Lee,
  • Yeon Ju Park,
  • Hong Geun Oh,
  • Dae In Moon,
  • Young Pill Kim,
  • Deuk Seon Park,
  • Hyang Man Lee,
  • Ok jin Kim,
  • Hye-Jeong Yang,
  • Min Jung Kim,
  • Young-Rae Lee

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/09540105.2018.1540552
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 30, no. 1
pp. 13 – 24

Abstract

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Portulaca oleracea L. is a traditional oriental medicine known for its pharmacological effects. The present study aimed to investigate the immunostimulatory effects of PPCE on cyclophosphamide-stimulated rat model and in isolated spleen cells. The result showed that PPCE exerted an immunostimulatory effect in vivo and in vitro. Specifically, PPCE significantly enhanced splenocyte proliferation and upregulated inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-12, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) and NK cell activity in vitro. The immunostimulatory effect was further investigated through various immunological assays. Oral administration of PPCE increased the swimming time and number of immune cells in rats. Histological analysis revealed that PPCE administration exerted splenic recovery. Thus, P. oleracea L. based complex extracts may be used as an immunostimulatory agent in medicine or functional foods.

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