Ethnopharmacological communicationKaempferitrin induces immunostimulatory effects in vitro

Ethnopharmacological relevanceJusticia spicigera is a plant used as immunostimulatory in Mexican traditional medicine. Recently, we showed that Justicia spicigera extracts exerted immunostimulatory effects and the major component of this extract was kaempferitrin (KM). This work shows a correlation between the medical traditional use of Justicia spicigera and kaempferitrin, its active compound.Materials and methodsThe in vitro immunostimulatory effects of KM were evaluated on the proliferation of murine splenocytes and macrophages, and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The effects of KM on NO production, lysosomal enzyme activity and neutral red uptake were assayed in murine macrophages RAW 264.7. The effects of KM on the NK cell activity were also assayed.ResultsKM at 25 μM, the highest concentration tested, increased the proliferation of murine macrophages (23%) and splenocytes (17%), and human PBMC (24%) in the absence of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), compared to untreated cells. KM also stimulated the pinocytosis (25%) and lysosomal enzyme activity (57%) in murine macrophages with a similar potency than LPS 1 μg/ml. In addition, KM induced the NK cell activity (11%).ConclusionKM exerts immunostimulatory effects on immune responses mediated by splenocytes, macrophages, PBMC and NK cells.

This work shows that kaempferitrin (kaempherol-3,7-bisrhamnoside) stimulated the proliferation of murine splenocytes and macrophages, and human PBMC. KM also stimulated the pinocytosis and lysosomal enzyme activity in murine macrophages and the NK cell activity.89