Effect of Piper chaba Hunter, Piper sarmentosum Roxb. and Piper interruptum Opiz. on Natural Killer Cell Activity and Lymphocyte Proliferation
Sumalee Panthong BSc*, Arunporn Itharat PhD**,***
Affiliation : * Student of Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Sciences (Nutraceutical), Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand ** Department of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand *** Center of Excellence on Applied Thai Traditional Medicine Research (CEATMR), Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand
Background : Immune system is the most important system of human body. Thai folk doctors have used some medicinal plants
as an adaptogenic drug or immunomodulatory agent. Piper chaba Hunter, Piper sarmentosum Roxb. and Piper interruptum
Opiz. are used by folk doctors to activate immune response in cancer patients.
Objective : To investigate the effect on natural killer cell activity and on lymphocyte proliferation activity of water extract of
P. chaba Hunter, P. sarmentosum Roxb. and P. interruptum Opiz.
Material and Method: Plant materials were extracted by decoction method. All extracts were tested for an immunomodulatory
effect using PBMCs from twelve healthy donors by chromium release assay. Lymphocyte proliferation was also determined
by 3H-thymidine uptake assay. The degree of activation was expressed as the stimulation index.
Results : The water extract of P. chaba Hunter significantly increased lymphocyte proliferation at concentrations of 1 ng/ml, 10
ng/ml, 1 μg/ml, 5 μg/ml, 10 μg/ml and 100 μg/ml. P. sarmentosum Roxb., and P. interruptum Opiz. extracts at those
concentrations significantly stimulated lymphocyte proliferation. P. sarmentosum Roxb. extract significantly increased natural
killer (NK) cell activity at a concentration of 100 μg/ml but P. chaba Hunter and P. interruptum Opiz. extracts did not
significantly stimulate natural killer cell activity.
Conclusion : P. chaba Hunter, P. interruptum Opiz. and P. sarmentosum Roxb. have an immunomodulatory effect especially
for P. sarmentosum Roxb. extract which can activate both lymphocyte proliferation and NK cell activity.
Keywords : Piper chaba Hunter, Piper interruptum Opiz., Piper sarmentosum Roxb., Immunomodulatory effect, NK cell, Lymphocyte proliferation
