IN VIVO EVALUATION OF IMMUNOMODULATORY POTENTIAL OF FERULIC ACID

Abstract

Immunology is a branch of biomedical science that involves all aspects of the immune system that recognize pathogens and initiate defense response that involve induction, expression, amplification or inhibition of phase of the immune response. Plant based medicines have potential immunomodulatory activity that can justify their use in past. Ferulic acid (FA) is a polyphenol abundant in several plants, possesses activity, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombosis, anti-cancer and also used in age-related diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. The study was proposed to determine immunomodulatory effects of FA. Assessment of immunomodulatory activity of FA was done by carbon clearance test, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction, neutrophils adhesion test, effect on serum immunoglobulins and cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia. FA at doses 200 mg/kg produced significant increase in phagocytic index (P<0.01) which indicated stimulation of reticuloendothelial system, neutrophil count (P<0.05) in nylon fibers which causes the stimulation of neutrophils towards the site of inflammation, the serum immunoglobulin levels (P<0.05) shows direct measure of T and B cell activity, TLC count (P<0.05) and prevent neutropenia through activation of macrophages and increase in DTH response (P<0.05) which indicate stimulatory effect on lymphocyte. On the basis of present investigation, it can be concluded that FA has potential to stimulate overall immune system in the experimental animals.