Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Basic Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2019;20(12):1055-1063. doi: 10.2174/1389201019666190722151126.
The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of the aqueous extract of Tinospora cordifolia (AETC) against cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression and systemic Candida albicans infection in a murine model.
The protective effect of AETC against cyclophosphamide-induced leukopenia was evaluated by quantitative and qualitative analysis of the leukocytes. The immune-stimulating potential of AETC on macrophages was assessed by determining the levels of secreted cytokines. To determine the direct antifungal activity, AETC or fluconazole was administered to C. albicans infected mice. The efficacy of treatment was assessed by determining the survival rate, kidney fungal burden, the organ index and liver inflammation parameters.
Cyclophosphamide administration resulted in substantial depletion of leukocytes, whereas AETC treatment induced the recovery of leukocytes in cyclophosphamide-injected mice. Moreover, AETC treatment of macrophages resulted in enhanced secretion of IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-1β. C. albicans infected mice treated with AETC at the doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg exhibited 40% and 60% survival rate, whereas the mice treated with fluconazole at a dose of 50 mg/kg showed 20% survival rate. Like survival data, the fungal load was found to be the lowest in the kidney tissues of mice treated with AETC at a dose of 100 mg/kg. Interestingly, mice infected with C. albicans demonstrated improvement in the organ indices and liver functioning after AETC treatment.
These results suggest that AETC may potentially be used to rejuvenate the weakened immune system and eliminate systemic candidiasis in mice.
本研究旨在评估三叶鬼针草水提物（AETC）对环磷酰胺诱导的免疫抑制和系统性白色念珠菌感染的作用。
通过对白细胞进行定量和定性分析，评估 AETC 对环磷酰胺引起的白细胞减少症的保护作用。通过测定细胞因子的分泌水平来评估 AETC 对巨噬细胞的免疫刺激作用。为了确定直接的抗真菌活性，给白色念珠菌感染的小鼠给予 AETC 或氟康唑。通过测定存活率、肾脏真菌负荷、器官指数和肝脏炎症参数来评估治疗效果。
环磷酰胺给药导致白细胞大量减少，而 AETC 处理诱导环磷酰胺注射小鼠白细胞的恢复。此外，AETC 处理巨噬细胞导致 IFN-γ、TNF-α 和 IL-1β 的分泌增强。用 50 和 100 mg/kg 剂量的 AETC 治疗的白色念珠菌感染小鼠的存活率分别为 40%和 60%，而用 50 mg/kg 剂量的氟康唑治疗的小鼠的存活率为 20%。与存活数据相似，在 100 mg/kg AETC 治疗的小鼠肾脏组织中发现真菌负荷最低。有趣的是，感染白色念珠菌的小鼠在接受 AETC 治疗后，其器官指数和肝功能得到改善。
这些结果表明，AETC 可能可用于增强虚弱的免疫系统，并在小鼠中消除系统性念珠菌病。
