Immunomodulatory Effect Of Scutellaria Radix In Balb/C Mice

Scutellaria radix (SR), the root of Scutellaria baicalensis is one of the most widely used herbal medicines against bacterial infections of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, and various inflammatory diseases. No previous studies have investigated SR-induced alterations in the immune system of Balb/c mice. In the present study, SR was administered by gavage for 14 days at 0,50, 100, 200 and 400 ㎎/㎏ to female Balb/c mice. Immunomodulatory activity was evaluated by assessment of body and organ weight, lymphocyte blastogenesis, antibody-forming cell (AFC) assay and lymphocyte subpopulation by flowcytometry. Hematological and histopathological changes were also assessed. Even though the change of body weight was not observed in SR-administered group, spleen weight and cellularity of spleen are slightly increased at the dose groups of SR (100, 200 and 400 ㎎/㎏). The T lymphocyte blastogenesis by concanavalin A (Con A) was slightly increased, but B-lymphocyte blastogenesis by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was significantly increased in SR-treated group. In the case of lymphocyte subpopulation, the population of CD3? T cells and CD3? T cell/CD45R? B cell ratio were significantly increased at high dose of SR-treated mice. However, there were no significant changes in the hematological findings of SR-treated mice. The antibody response to T lymphocyte dependent antigen, sheep red blood cell (SRBC) was increased at all doses of SR-treated group. These results indicate that SR could induce the immunomodulation in Balb/c mice.