Authors: Samuel Joshua Pragasam Vijayalakshmi Venkatesan MahaboobKhan Rasool
Publish Date: 2012/08/25
Volume: 36, Issue: 1, Pages: 169-176
Abstract
In this study pcoumaric acid was evaluated for its immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory properties in vivo The immunomodulatory effect of pcoumaric acid 100 mg/kg body weight was assessed by evaluating its effect on cellmediated immune responses delayed type hypersensitivity reaction serum immunoglobulin levels and macrophage phagocytic index in rats The antiinflammatory effects of pcoumaric acid 100 mg/kg body weight were investigated by examining its effect on expression of tumor necrosis factor TNFα in synovial tissue by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy and circulating immune complexes in serum of adjuvantinduced arthritic rats The increased cellmediated immune responses and macrophage phagocytic index observed in control rats were significantly reduced p 005 upon treatment with pcoumaric acid implying its immunosuppressive property whereas serum immunoglobulin levels were found to be increased in pcoumaric acid treated control rats pcoumaric acid also showed significant p 005 antiinflammatory effects in adjuvantinduced arthritic rats by effecting a decrease in the expression of inflammatory mediator TNFα and circulating immune complexes Indomethacin was used as a reference drug for antiinflammatory studies Thus our results show that pcoumaric acid could be considered a potential immunosuppressive agent in treating autoimmune inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis
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