Dietary consumption ofEchinaceaby mice afflicted with autoimmune (type I) diabetes: Effect of consuming the herb on hemopoietic and immune cell dynamics

Abstract

Epidemiological studies indicate that the incidence of Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease, is rising rapidly. However, none of the current therapies produces life long remission, or can prevent the disease onset. The NOD (non-obese diabetic) mouse is currently regarded as an excellent animal model of human Type 1 diabetes. NKT cells are known to be fundamental in modulating the disease, yet they are numerically and functionally deficient in mammals bearing this disease. Indeed, the role of NK cells in inhibiting autoimmunity in general is well established. Immunoregulatory strategies are currently believed to be the way of the future with respect to modulating autoimmune diseases. Based on this hypothesis, and the fact that the herb, Echinacea, is a well demonstrated immunostimulant of NK cells in normal mice/humans, we aimed to investigate, in NOD mice, the effect of short term (days) and long term (months) daily dietary administration of Echinacea, on the absolute levels of NK cells, and five other classes of hemopoietic and immune cells, in the bone marrow and spleen. The results revealed that, in NOD mice, dietary Echinacea, resulted in a significant increase in the absolute numbers of NK cells, irrespective of feeding duration, in the spleen, and moreover, it actually stimulated NK cell production in their bone marrow birth site. We further found that there were transient, early (days), herb exposure-time-dependent, quantitative changes in several of the other hemopoietic and immune cells populations in both the bone marrow and spleen. We conclude that consumption of this herb by NOD mice, at least, has lead to no negative repercussions with respect to the hemopoietic and immune lineages, and secondly, the consistent, long-lasting immunostimulation only of NK cells, may lead to a possible new approach to the treatment of Type 1 diabetes.

Identification of plant extracts with potential antidiabetic properties: effect on human peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR), adipocyte differentiation and insulin‐stimulated glucose uptake

“…Furthermore, three extracts were also found to increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Only two studies have dealt with the application of Echinacea in relation to diabetes (Broadhurst et al, 2000;Delorme and Miller, 2005) but the results from the present study clearly indicate that amelioration of insulin resistance is a potential new field of application for Echinacea warranting further investigation. The primary bioactive compounds found in extracts of Echinacea are phenolic acids and olefinic and/or acetylenic alkamides derived from fatty acids (Christensen and Lam, 1991).…”

Total Bacterial Load within Echinacea purpurea, Determined Using a New PCR-based Quantification Method, is Correlated with LPS Levels and In Vitro Macrophage Activity

“…The high levels of TLR2 (Braun-type lipoproteins) and TLR4 (LPS) agonists in Echinacea may contribute to the therapeutic action of this plant material. For example, these bacterial components may explain the enhanced NK cell activity observed in mice by dietary administration of Echinacea [6,20]. Oral ingestion of Echinacea plant material containing a high bacterial load may have effects similar to those reported in studies using probiotic bacteria.…”

Applications of the PhytomedicineEchinacea purpurea(Purple Coneflower) in Infectious Diseases

“…Miller and colleagues [110][111][112] have made several studies of the effects of dietary EP extract on the aging and survival of mice. Several parameters of growth indicated possible benefits of the EP diet, and a noteworthy positive effect was the lifelong stimulation of NK cell activity and function, which could theoretically help the animals deal with infectious diseases.…”