Inhibitory effect of moringa leaf on cedar pollen-induced eosinophil accumulation in mice

Abstract

We established an allergic model of the late phase of type I hypersensitivity reaction to cedar pollen in mice. In this model, BALB/c mice (5-week-old females) were immunized five times with cedar pollen allergen, and eosinophil accumulation in the peritoneal cavity was elicited by an intraperitoneal injection of the allergen. We investigated the effects of the leaf of Moringa oleifera on allergen-induced eosinophil accumulation and total IgE in serum by giving freely feeding mice a powder diet containing 0.3%, 1.0%, and 3.0% M. odeifera leaf powder. Compared to the control group (normal diet), the number of total leukocytes and eosinophils accumulated in the peritoneal cavity was significantly reduced in the groups given the diet containing 0.3% and 3.0% M. oleifera leaf powder. However, there were no differences in the number of lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils between all groups. Furthermore, the serum level of total IgE was reduced in the M. oleifera leaf powder-treated groups. These results provide laboratory evidence that M. oleifera leaf powder reduces eosinophil accumulation at the site of allergic inflammation and attenuates the development of IgEmediated allergy.