Molecules 2012, 17(7), 7695-7708; doi:10.3390/molecules17077695
Article

Restoration of Electric Footshock-Induced Immunosuppression in Mice by Gynostemma pentaphyllum Components

Sun-A Imemail, Hyun Sook Choiemail, Soon Ok Choiemail, Ki-Hyang Kimemail, Seungjeong Leeemail, Bang Yeon Hwangemail, Myung Koo Leeemail and Chong Kil Lee* email
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 17 February 2012; in revised form: 11 June 2012 / Accepted: 20 June 2012 / Published: 25 June 2012
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Abstract: The immunomodulatory effects of the ethanol extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP-EX) were examined in electric footshock (EFS)-stressed mice. The mice were orally administered various doses of GP-EX for 7 days before exposure to EFS (duration: 3 min, interval: 10 s, intensity: 2 mA) once a day from day 8 for 14 days with continuous daily feeding of GP-EX. Oral administration of GP-EX to mice prevented EFS stress-induced immunosuppression as determined by the lymphoid organ (thymus and spleen) weight and cellularity. In addition, oral administration of GP-EX restored EFS-suppressed functional properties of mature lymphocytes in terms of concanavalin A-induced proliferation of splenocytes and lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine production (TNF-α, IL-1β). Furthermore, we found that mice that were orally administered with GP-EX generated much more potent ovalbumin-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses upon intravenous ovalbumin injection compared to the untreated controls. These results demonstrate that oral administration of the ethanol extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum could increase host defense in immunocompromised situations such as stress-induced immunosuppression.
Keywords: Gynostemma pentaphyllum; electric footshock; stress; immunomodulation; cytotoxic T lymphocytes

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Im, S.-A.; Choi, H.S.; Choi, S.O.; Kim, K.-H.; Lee, S.; Hwang, B.Y.; Lee, M.K.; Lee, C.K. Restoration of Electric Footshock-Induced Immunosuppression in Mice by Gynostemma pentaphyllum Components. Molecules 2012, 17, 7695-7708.

AMA Style

Im S-A, Choi HS, Choi SO, Kim K-H, Lee S, Hwang BY, Lee MK, Lee CK. Restoration of Electric Footshock-Induced Immunosuppression in Mice by Gynostemma pentaphyllum Components. Molecules. 2012; 17(7):7695-7708.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Im, Sun-A; Choi, Hyun Sook; Choi, Soon Ok; Kim, Ki-Hyang; Lee, Seungjeong; Hwang, Bang Yeon; Lee, Myung Koo; Lee, Chong Kil. 2012. "Restoration of Electric Footshock-Induced Immunosuppression in Mice by Gynostemma pentaphyllum Components." Molecules 17, no. 7: 7695-7708.

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