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Cyperus scariosus Chloroform Fraction Inhibits T cell Responses in Balb/C Mice
Abstract
and its bioactive chloroform fraction (CSC).
Methods: The preliminary screening of the extract was carried out by humoral antibody response and
delayed-type hypersensitivity models employing sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as the antigen. Further,
the extract was studied by skin allograft rejection test, and phagocytosis - in vitro and ex vivo - by C.
albicans method and carbon clearance test, respectively. The extract was fractionated with chloroform,
n-butanol and water, and then used to investigate the T-cell specific immunosuppressive potential of
these fractions by flow cytometry.
Results: On p.o. administration, CS inhibited both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses
significantly (p < 0.01) by suppressing primary (26.8 %) and secondary (29.7 %) antibody titres, and
also inhibited cell-mediated delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) immune response (45.9 %) at 600
mg/kg dose, phagocytosis - both in vitro (37.4 %) and ex vivo (37.8 %) - and delayed the graft rejection
time (45.8%), thus confirming marked immunosuppression. Out of the three isolated fractions, only the
chloroform fraction significantly (p < 0.01) suppressed CD8+/ CD4+ T cell surface markers (14.0/25.3
%) and intra-cellular Th1 cytokines, viz, IL-2 (34.4 %), and IFN-γ (34.7 %), compared to cyclosporine-A
(5), a standard T cell inhibitor (53.6 %) which was given to Balb/C mice at 200 mg/kg dose. CSC did not
significantly (p < 0.01) suppress Th2 (IL-4) system.
Conclusion: The findings from this investigation reveal that C. scariosus causes immunosuppression
by inhibiting Th1 cytokines.
