Nyamweya Boniface Makori, Rukshala Dilani, De Silva Rajiva, Premawansa Sunil, Fernando Narmada, Handunnetti Shiroma
Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, 90 Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka; Department of Clinical Medicine, Kisii University, P.O. Box 408-40200, Kisii, Kenya.
Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, 90 Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka.
J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2025 May-Jun;16(3):101148. doi: 10.1016/j.jaim.2025.101148. Epub 2025 May 31.
Inflammation and oxidative stress are key drivers of hypertension. Vitex negundo L. is a medicinal plant used in Ayurveda and has potential anti-inflammatory effects.
This study aims to assess the immunomodulatory effects of aqueous mature leaf extract (ALE) of V. negundo in an in vitro model of hypertension.
Non-toxic concentrations of ALE were selected using SRB and MTT assays. Quantitative NBT and Griess assays were done to assess the effect of the ALE on Ang-II-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) respectively. The effect of ALE of V. negundo on the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 6, interleukin 1 beta and nuclear factor kappa B were assessed using RT-qPCR. Expression of M0, M1 and M2 surface markers were assessed using flow cytometry.
ALE of V. negundo inhibited the production ROS and RNS in a dose-dependent manner comparable with Telmisartan drug control (p < 0.0001). Ang-II activated, THP-1 derived macrophages expressed high levels of M1 markers. Interestingly, the pre-treatment of Ang-II-activated, THP-1 derived macrophages with ALE of V. negundo increased the expression of M2 marker as CD206 (89.63%) but no increase in CD163-moderate (27.1%). Both ALE of V. negundo and Telmisartan down-regulated the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hypertension model (p < 0.0001).
The results suggest the potential of ALE of V. negundo in exerting immunomodulatory effects in an in vitro model of angiotensin II-mediated hypertension mainly by modulating M1-M2 macrophage switch and limiting inflammation and production of pro-oxidants.
炎症和氧化应激是高血压的关键驱动因素。蔓荆子是一种在阿育吠陀医学中使用的药用植物，具有潜在的抗炎作用。
本研究旨在评估蔓荆子水提成熟叶提取物（ALE）在高血压体外模型中的免疫调节作用。
使用SRB和MTT试验选择ALE的无毒浓度。分别进行定量NBT和Griess试验，以评估ALE对血管紧张素II诱导的活性氧（ROS）和活性氮（RNS）产生的影响。使用RT-qPCR评估蔓荆子ALE对肿瘤坏死因子-α、白细胞介素6、白细胞介素1β和核因子κB表达的影响。使用流式细胞术评估M0、M1和M2表面标志物的表达。
蔓荆子ALE以剂量依赖性方式抑制ROS和RNS的产生，与替米沙坦药物对照相当（p < 0.0001）。血管紧张素II激活的THP-1衍生巨噬细胞表达高水平的M1标志物。有趣的是，用蔓荆子ALE预处理血管紧张素II激活的THP-1衍生巨噬细胞可增加M2标志物CD206的表达（89.63%），但CD163的表达中度增加（27.1%）。蔓荆子ALE和替米沙坦均下调高血压模型中促炎细胞因子的表达（p < 0.0001）。
结果表明，蔓荆子ALE在血管紧张素II介导的高血压体外模型中发挥免疫调节作用的潜力，主要是通过调节M1-M2巨噬细胞转换以及限制炎症和促氧化剂的产生。
