Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Siebold leaf extract enhanced immunostimulatory effects in a cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed rat model

  • Dong Yeop Shin Department of Companion and Laboratory Animal Science, Kongju National University
  • Byeong Soo Kim Department of Companion and Laboratory Animal Science, Kongju National University
  • Hak Yong Lee INVIVO Co. Ltd.
  • Young Mi Park INVIVO Co. Ltd.
  • Yong Wan Kim Daegu Cancer Center, Research and Development Unit, DongSung Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.
  • Min Jung Kim Korea Food Research Institute
  • Hye Jeong Yang Korea Food Research Institute
  • Mi Seong Kim Department of Oral Biochemistry, and Institute of Biomaterial-Implant, College of Dentistry, Wonkwang University
  • Jun Sang Bae Department of Pathology, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6650-2340
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v67.9422
Keywords: Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Siebold, Immune enhancement, Cyclophosphamide, Macrophage, Immunosuppressed rat

Abstract

Background: Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Siebold (EA) is a medicinal plant used in some Asian countries to treat various diseases, including cancer, hyperglycemia, diabetes, urticaria, dysmenorrhea, and arthritis. Owing to the wide range of pharmacological applications of EA, various roles of EA are being studied.

Objective: We evaluated the immune-enhancing effect of EA treatment in a cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced immunosuppressed rat model.

Design: We analyzed the immune enhancement effect of EA on macrophages by western blotting. In addition, cell viability and natural killer (NK) cell activity were analyzed in splenocytes following EA treatment. For in vivo studies, analysis of weekly body weight, spleen weight, immune cell count, cytokine levels, and spleen histological findings was performed following EA administration in Cy-induced immunocompromised rats.

Results: EA significantly increased cell viability and phospho-nuclear factor-kappa B and phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase protein levels in the macrophages. EA significantly increased NK cell activity in splenocytes compared with the control group. In Cy-induced immunosuppressed rats, EA administration increased spleen tissue weight and the contents of leukocytes, lymphocytes, granulocytes, intermediate cells, and plasma cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ). In addition, improvement in the damaged spleen tissue was observed.

Conclusions: These findings confirm that EA exerts an immune-enhancing effect, thereby suggesting its potential as an immunostimulatory agent or functional food.

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Published
2023-04-19
How to Cite
Shin D. Y., Kim B. S., Lee H. Y., Park Y. M., Kim Y. W., Kim M. J., Yang H. J., Kim M. S., & Bae J. S. (2023). <em>Euonymus alatus</em&gt; (Thunb.) Siebold leaf extract enhanced immunostimulatory effects in a cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed rat model. Food & Nutrition Research, 67. https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v67.9422
Issue
Vol 67 (2023)
Section
Original Articles
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