Effects of bamboo salt and its component, hydrogen sulfide, on enhancing immunity

Abstract

Korean bamboo salt (BS) is known to have therapeutic effects in the treatment of diseases, including viral disease, dental plaque, diabetes, circulatory organ disorders, cancer and inflammatory disorders. However, the effect of BS on immune functions remains to be elucidated. The present study was designed to determine the immune-enhancing effect of BS and its component, hydrogen sulfide, using RAW264.7 macrophages and a forced swimming test (FST) animal model. BS and sodium hydrosulfide (NaSH), a hydrogen sulfide donor, significantly increased the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α through the activation of nuclear factor-κB in the RAW 264.7 cells. In an in vivo experiment, BS and NaSH were administered orally once a day for 28 days. After the 28 days, the immobility times in the FST were significantly decreased in the BS and NaSH-fed groups, compared with the control group. In addition, BS and NaSH induced significant increases in the levels of interferon-γ, interleukin-2 and TNF-α, compared with the control group. Taken together, these results indicated that BS and NaSH may improve immune function.