Immunomodulatory action of a-4,6-glucan from Phlomoides tuberosa (L.) Moench tubers
The present study was aimed at the estimation of immune modulating properties of the a-4,6-glucan isolated from the tubers of Phlomoides tuberosa (L.). Moench in the reactions of cellular, humoral and macrophage chains of the immune response using experimental azathioprin immunosupression animal model. The experiments were carried out on F1 (CBAxC57B1/6) male mice, 18-20 g of weight. Immune deficiency was modeled by the intragastrical introduction of azathioprin in the dose 50 mg/kg once a day for 5 days. The experimantal group of animals received the a-4,6-glucan once a day intragastrically in dose 1 mg/kg for 14 days against the background of azathioprin immunosupression. The intact group received the purified water according to the analogous scheme. The results have shown that the a-4,6-glucan restores the indices of reactions characterizing the main chains of immune system. The course administration of the a-4,6-glucan against the background of azathioprin was followed by the 1.5 times increase of the cell-mediated immune reaction of delayed-type hypersensitivity index as compared with the same one in the control group. The study of the tested polysaccharide influence on the state of the humoral immunity has established that the a-4,6-glucan increases the values of absolute and relative number of antibody-forming cells in 1.5 and 1.8 times as compared with the same ones in the control group. The study of the a-4,6-glucan influence on the state of the macrophage chain revealed increase of phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages; phagocytic index exceeded the control group level 1.5 times. Thus, the data obtained allow to conclude that the a-4,6-glucan isolated from the tubers of Phlomoides tuberosa has the marked immune modulating activity that substantiates the expediency of its further study in order to create new effective immune modulators.