Specific immunomodulatory effect of water extract of stachytarpheta jamaicensis herbs

Abstract

Immunomodulators can alter immune system and work specifically and nonspecific. Traditionally Stachytarpetha jamaicensis herbs is used to modulate immune system. This study aims to determine the humoral and cellular immune system activity of water extract of S. jamaicensis herb through hemagglutination antibody titer test and delayed type hypersensitivity tests in mice. The extract was made by boiling in distilled water. The doses of the extract were 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg bw and zymosan 10 mg/kg bw ip were used as a comparison. The parameter measured in the hemagglutination antibody titer test was the hemagglutination antibody titer value and lymphocyte count, while the parameters in the delayed type hypersensitivity test are the thickness of the hind footpad, percent inhibition of delayed type hypersensitivity response and and lymphocyte count. Test results showed extracts at dose of 50 mg/kg bw gave hemagglutination antibody titer value lower than control group, but the extract at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg bw produced antibody titer values higher than control group (p<0.05). The extracts at all doses could inhibit the increasing of hind footpad thickness compared to control group (p <0.05). The result also showed that there was increasing lymphocyte count compared to control group. It can be concluded that water extracts can affect humoral and cellular immune systems.