Study of Immunomodulatory Effect of Seeds of Brassica nigra and Cuminum cyminum in Albino Rats

Abstract

The aim of the Present investigation is to assess the immunomodulatory effects of ethanolic extract of Brassica nigra L. in combination with Cuminum cyminum against pyrogallol induced immunosuppression in rats. Control group received a dose of pyrogallol 100mg/kg i.p., once daily from day 1 to 7, while the normal group received only vehicle. In another set of experiment the immunomodulatory activity of Brassica nigra 250 and 500 mg/kg p.o.,daily from day 1 to day 22 was screened in rats in whom immunosuppression was induced the pyrogallol. Besides the above treatments, the rats from all the groups received sheep red blood cells (SRBC) (0.5×109 cells/100g, i.p.) on day 7 and 13, as the antigenic material to sensitize them for immunological studies. The immunological parameters that are assessed are humoral immune response, cellular immune response, carbon clearance test and white blood cell count. Invivo antioxidant studies were performed by assessing superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, lipid peroxidation and myeloperoxidase activity. Administration of high dose of Brassica nigra (500mg/kg p.o.) for 22 days significantly (p 0.001) prevented the influence of pyrogallol on primary and secondary humoral immune responses, increased the paw volume (index of cell-mediated immunity) when compared to control group. Administration of equal proportionate dose of Brassica nigra (250mg/kg, p.o.) and Cuminum cyminum (250mg/kg, p.o) for 22 days significantly (p 0.01) increased the paw volume, increased the phagocytic response, increased the WBC count when compared to control group. treatment with low and high dose of Brassica nigra significantly increased the superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, myeloperoxidase and significantly (p 0.05) decreased the lipid peroxidation respectively in a dose dependent manner when compared with control.