Activation of murine lymphocytes and modulation of macrophage functions by fractions of Alchornea cordifolia (Euphorbiaceae) leaf extract.

The immune system is highly complex, intricately regulated group of cells whose integrated function is essential to health. Modulating the functions of these cells offers important pharmacological and therapeutic approaches in many disease conditions.This study reports on the in vitro immunostimulant activities of two flavonoid-rich fractions of Alchornea cordifolia (Euphorbiaceae) leaf extract: EAC and AAC, obtained by fractionating the methanol extract into ethylacetate and acetone soluble fractions, respectively.The lymphoproliferative effect of the fractions on naïve murine splenocytes and thymocytes as well as the modulatory effects on the phagocytic and lysosomal enzyme activities of elicited murine macrophages was investigated. A. cordifolia fractions, EAC and AAC, produced significant (P<0.05) and concentration-related (10-250 microg/ml) increases in the proliferation of splenocytes and thymocytes cultures which were comparable to the mitogenic effects of lipopolysaccharide, LPS (10 microg/ml) and concanavalin A, ConA (2 microg/ml) used as standard mitogens. EAC and AAC (15.6-250 microg/ml) significantly (P<0.05) increased phagocytosis and intracellular killing capacity measured as percentage increase in nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye reduction. Lysosomal phosphatase activity of peritoneal macrophages, measured by p-nitrophenyl phosphate (p-NPP) hydrolysis, was also increased significantly (P<0.05) by EAC and AAC (15.6-250 microg/ml). Treatment of macrophage cultures with EAC and AAC (15.6-250 microg/ml) decreased the expression of nitric oxide significantly (P<0.05) in the supernatant. This study demonstrates strong immunomodulatory activities of A. cordifolia leaf extracts which could explain some of the therapeutic benefits attributed to the plant in traditional medicine and could also be exploited as a source of novel immunoregulating substances.