Modulation of B lymphocyte function by an aqueous fraction of the ethanol extract of Cissampelos sympodialis Eichl (Menispermaceae)

Abstract

Cissampelos sympodialis Eichl species are used in folk medicine for the treatment of asthma, arthritis and rheumatism. In the present study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effect of an aqueous fraction of a 70% (v/v) ethanol extract of C. sympodialis leaves on B lymphocyte function. The hydroalcoholic extract inhibited the in vitro proliferative response of resting B cells induced by LPS (IC 50 = 17.2 µg/ml), anti-delta-dextran (IC 50 = 13.9 µg/ml) and anti-IgM (IC 50 = 24.3 µg/ ml) but did not affect the anti-MHC class II antibody-stimulated proliferative response of B cell blasts obtained by stimulation with IL-4 and anti-IgM. Incubation with the hydroalcoholic extract used at 50 µg/ml induced a 700% increase in intracellular cAMP levels. IgM secretion by resting B cells (obtained from normal mice) and polyclonally activated B cells (obtained from Trypanosoma cruziinfected animals) was inhibited by the hydroalcoholic extract. The latter were more sensitive to the hydroalcoholic extract since 6.5 µg/ ml induced a 20% inhibition in the response of cells from normal mice while it inhibited the response of B cells from infected animals by 75%. The present data indicate that the alcoholic extract of C. sympodialis inhibited B cell function through an increase in intracellular cAMP levels. The finding that the hydroalcoholic extract inhibited immunoglobulin secretion suggests a therapeutic use for the extract from C. sympodialis in conditions associated with unregulated B cell function and enhanced immunoglobulin secretion. Finally, the inhibitory effect of the hydroalcoholic extract on B cells may indicate an anti-inflammatory effect of this extract.

Warifteine, a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, decreases immediate allergic and thermal hyperalgesic reactions in sensitized animals

“…On the other hand, warifteine may be modifying cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels by the inhibition of the phosphodiesterases in human neutrophils [34], which is resulting in the decrease of IgE production. This hypothesis seems also reasonable since the plant extract induced high levels of cAMP not only in anti-IgM stimulated B cell cultures [35] but also in guinea pig trachea strips [2]. The inhibition of the phosphodiesterase enzymes by warifteine may explain the up regulation of cAMP and the IgE inhibition.…”

Inhaled Cissampelos sympodialis Down‐Regulates Airway Allergic Reaction by Reducing Lung CD3+T Cells

“…Its production in allergies is related with the Th2 cytokine profile. Rocha and col. () demonstrated that B cells in the presence of AFL and stimulated with several B cell stimuli did not present proliferate response and IgM production (Alexandre‐Moreira et al ., ). These effects were due to increasing levels of intracellular cAMP.…”

“…Furthermore, it was observed that AFL increased the production of IL‐10 in Trypanosoma cruzi infected macrophages and inhibition nitric oxide production (Alexandre‐Moreira et al ., ). Moreover, AFL inhibited proliferative response of B cells with Toll‐like receptor stimuli and production of IgM and IgG by increasing the intracellular cAMP levels suggesting a therapeutic use of this extract in diseases associated with high production of immunoglobulin (Alexandre‐Moreira et al ., ; Rocha et al ., ).…”

Estudo farmacobotânico de folhas de Cissampelos sympodialis Eichl. (Menispermaceae)

“…Do ponto de vista químico, vários alcalóides isoquinolínicos foram isolados de Cissampelos sympodialis, dentre os quais destacam-se: milonina (Freitas et al, 1995), warifteína (Cortes et al, 1995), metilwarifteína e laurifolina (Barbosa-Filho et al, 1997), liriodenina e roraimina (Lira et al, 2002). É uma espécie de grande importância na farmacologia pelas diversas atividades já confi rmadas, como espasmolítica e efeito citotóxico, atribuídos a warifteína e a milonina (Freitas et al, 1996;Melo et al, 2003), anti-anafi lática , antidepressiva (Almeida et al, 1998), antiinfl amatória (Lima et al, 2001;Falcão et al, 2005) que em parte esta relacionada à diminuição da função dos macrófagos (Alexandre-Moreira et al, 2003). Além disso, foi demonstrado que o tratamento oral com o extrato etanólico de suas folhas apresentaram um efeito imunomodulador (Bezerra-Santos et al, 2004) e que a warifteína é um componente ativo do extrato de C. sympodialis responsável por uma ação antialérgica (Bezerra-Santos et al, 2006).…”