In vivo immuno - and angiomodulatory effects of Aloe arborescens folii recentis extractum siccum (AAES) in mice

Abstract

Abstract Introduction AAES is a powdered form of Biostymina, herbal medicinal product of Phytopharm Klęka S.A., a water extract of Aloe arborescens Mill. leaves. Aloe arborescens Mill. (woody aloe, tree-like aloe) is known to have several traditional medicinal properties including anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiviral and antimicrobial activity. Objective The aim of this work was to study the in vivo effect of AAES on cellular (leukocyte-induced cutaneous angiogenesis, LIA test, and proliferative response to PHA) and humoral (anti-SRBC antibody response) immunity in mice. Methods Balb/c mice were fed AAES from 0.5 to 75 mg/kg body mass for seven days before grafting their splenocytes intradermally to F1 (Balb/cxC3H) recipients (LIA test). Neovascular reaction was evaluated 72 h later in dissection microscope. Spleen cell cultures were incubated with 0.5, 1 and 2 μg/ml of PHA. After 48 h of incubation, tritiated thymidine was added. After further 24 h, cells were harvested (Skatron) and incorporation of tritiated thymidine was measured using Beta-scintillation counter. Balb/c mice were fed for 7 days with AAES, then immunized intraperitoneally with 5% SRBC suspension and 7 days later the antibody response was measured with hemagglutination test. Results Neovascular reaction was significantly higher in groups grafted with splenocytes collected from all AAES fed donors than from the controls. The proliferation of splenocytes taken from mice fed AAES at doses ranging from 0.5 mg/kg to 7.5 mg/kg was stimulated in all cultures. Suppression of proliferation was observed in cell cultures derived from mice fed with higher doses of AAES. Stimulation of anti-SRBC antibody production was seen in mice fed both 2.5 and 7.5 mg/kg dose of AAES. Conclusion Powdered form of Biostymina (AAES) might be useful in the treatment of patients with ischaemia of tissues and organs (myocardial infarction, stroke, necrosis) and in deficiency in the production of immune cells and growth factors (infections, chronic wound healing, ulceration and bone fusion).