Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Immunomodulatory Activity of the Methanol Extract of Amorphophallus campanulatus (Araceae) Tuber

A S Tripathi¹ , V Chitra¹, N W Sheikh¹, D S Mohale², A P Dewani²

¹SRM College of Pharmacy, Kathankulathur 603 203, Chennai; ²P.W. College of Pharmacy, Yavatmal 445001, Maharashtra, India.

For correspondence:- A Tripathi Email: shloksk@rediffmail.com Tel:+917232237165

Received: 4 July 2009 Accepted: 27 August 2010 Published: 17 October 2010

Citation: Tripathi AS, Chitra V, Sheikh NW, Mohale DS, Dewani AP. Immunomodulatory Activity of the Methanol Extract of Amorphophallus campanulatus (Araceae) Tuber. Trop J Pharm Res 2010; 9(5):451-454 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v9i5.4

© 2010 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: Traditionally, Amorphophallus campanulatus tuber is used for the treatment of enlarged spleen, rheumatism and tumour. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of the plant material.

Method: The effect of the methanol extract (ME) of Amorphophallus campanulatus tuber on immunological function in mice was studied using charcoal clearance, spleen index and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response models. The extract was administered orally at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg.

Results: The extract exhibited immunomodulatory activity by causing a significant decrease in charcoal clearance, spleen index and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response.

Conclusion: Amorphophallus campanulatus caused decreases in the charcoal clearance rate and cellular immunity by facilitating the footpad thickness response to sheep red blood cell (RBC) in sensitized mice.

Keywords: Amorphophallus campanulatus; immunomodulatory activity, Charcoal clearance, Spleen index, Delayed-type hypersensitivity response