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Der Pharmacia Lettre, 2012, 4 (2):708-713
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ISSN 0975-5071
USA CODEN: DPLEB4
Immunomodulatory property of ethanolic extract of Trigonella Foenum-
Graeceum leaves on mice
Smriti Tripathi1*, Anup Kumar Maurya1, Monica Kahrana2, Anpurna Kaul3 and Ram
Kumar Sahu4
1
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shridhar University, Pilani, Rajasthan, India
2
Banasthali University, Banasthali-Niwai, Rajasthan, India
3
Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR), Canal Road, Jammu, India
4
Columbia Institute of Pharmacy, Tekari, Raipur (C.G.), India
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ABSTRACT
The immunomodulatory activity of an Indian medicinal plant i.e. ethanolic extract from Trigonella foenum-
graeceum namely Fenugreek was studied for there phagocytic activity, cell mediated and humoral immune system
on mice. Immunomodulatory effect was assessed in carbon clearance test, delayed type of hypersensitivity (DTH), T-
cell population test, and sheep erythrocyte agglutination test (SEAT) in animal treated with methi at doses of 200
and 400 mg/kg body weight. In carbon clearance test, Fenugreek exhibited significantly high phagocytic index
against control group, indicating stimulation of the reticulo-endothelial system. Significant decrease in mean
difference, in the foot paw thickness in DTH indicates its anti-inflammatory activity. In Fenugreek treated groups at
200 and 400 mg/kg doses showed significant increase in antibody titer against control in normal immune status
animals while in T-cell population test, showed significant increase in T-cell rosette formation against control.
These results confirm the immunomodulatory activity of Fenugreek extract, which is a known immunomodulator in
indigenous medicine.
Keywords: Immunomodulators, Trigonella foenum-graeceum, Dlayed type hypersensitivity.
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INTRODUCTION
Herbal drugs are known to possess immunomodulatory properties and generally act by stimulating both specific and
nonspecific immunity. Many plants used in traditional medicine have immunomodulating activities [1]. Natural
adjuvants, synthetic agents, antibody reagents are used as immunosuppressive and immunostimulative agents. But
there are major limitation to the general use of these agents such as increased risk of infection and generalized effect
throughout the immune system. Immunosuppression is a major drawback in conventional therapy of cancer such as
radiation and chemotherapy. Both these method have sever side effect such as nausea, vomiting, alopecia, mucosal
ulceration etc. Modulation of immune responses to alleviate the diseases has been of interest for many years and the
concept of ‘Rasayana’ in Ayurveda is based on related principles. Immunostimulation in a drug-induced immuno-
suppression model and immunosuppression in an experimental hyperreactivity model by the same preparation can
be said to be true immunomodulation [2-4]. Apart from being specifically stimulatory or suppressive, certain agents
have been shown to possess activity to normalize or modulate pathophysiological processes and are hence called
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