ESTIMATION OF IMMUNOMODULATORY ACTIVITY OF LIMONIA ACIDISSIMA LINN

Abstract

Objective: Plant derived substances have recently become of great interest owing to their versatile applications. Attention has been drawn towards finding the in-vitro immunomodulatory activity of the methanolic pulp extract from Limonia acidissima Linn.

 

Methods: The dried powdered pulp of Limonia acidissima Linn. extracted with methanol using Soxhlet apparatus. The in-vitro immunomodulatory activities were screened by different assays: in-vitro phagocytic assay, proliferation of splenocytes by inducing with mitogen, and cellular lysosomal enzyme activity assay.

 

 

Results: The methanolic extract of Limonia acidissima Linn. enhanced the NBT reduction at 0.01, 0.1 and 1mg/ml by 42percent (p < 0.01), 69percent (p < 0.01) and 88percent (p < 0.01), respectively, with an EC₅₀ value of 0.04mg/ml. Lysosomal enzyme activity was also activated by the extract by 63percent at 0.1mg/ml and by 89percent (p < 0.05) at 1mg/ml with an EC₅₀ of 0.38mg/ml. The plant extract (1mg/ml) enhanced the proliferation by 184percent (p < 0.01) compared to the control, in the absence of mitogen.

 

Conclusion: Our results suggest that methanolic extract of pulp of Limonia acidissima Linn. possess significant immunomodulatory activity in-vitro. Pulp of Limonia acidissima Linn. therefore is a good source as an immunomodulator and a possible pharmaceutical supplement.

 

 

 

Keywords: Limonia acidissima Linn.; Immunomodulating activity; Phagocytosis; Proliferation