Immunomodulatory effect of <i>Moringa peregrina</i> leaves, <i>ex vivo</i> and <i><i><i><i>in vivo</i></i></i></i> study

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the <i><i><i><i>in vivo</i></i></i></i> and <i>ex vivo</i> immunomodulatory effect of the ethanol leaves extract of <i>Moringa peregrina</i> in Balb/c mice. For this study, five groups of 5 Balb/c mice were given a single acute subtoxic oral dose of the ethanolic extract at 1.13, 11.30, 23.40 and 113.4 mg/kg and the immunomodulatory effect was assessed on the 6th day following the ingestion. In the (non-functional) assessment, the effect of the extract on the body weight, relative lymphoid organ weight, splenic cellularity and peripheral blood hematologic parameters were evaluated. While in the immunomodulation assessment (functional), we investigated the effect of the extract on the proliferative capacity of splenic lymphocytes and peripheral T and B lymphocytes using mitogen blastogenesis, mixed allogeneic MLR and IgM-Plaque forming cells assays. The ingestion of <i>M. peregrina</i> extract caused a significant increase in the body weight, weight and number of cells of spleen and lymph nodes of the treated mice. Furthermore, the count of RBCs, WBCs, platelets, hemoglobin concentration and PCV % were increased by the extract treatment in a dose-dependent manner. <i>M. peregrina</i> enhanced the proliferative responses of splenic lymphocytes for both T cell and B-cell mitogens. Likewise, the mixed lymphocyte reaction MLR assay has revealed a T-cell dependent proliferation enhancement in the extract treated mice. Moreover, the oral administration of <i>M. peregrina</i> leaves extracts significantly increased PFCs/10<sup>6</sup> splenocytes in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, subtoxic acute doses of <i>M. peregrina</i> extract demonstrated significant potential as an immunomodulatory agent even at the lowest dose of 1.13 mg/kg.