%0 Journal Article
%T Scientific Validation of Gentiana kurroo Royle for Anti-Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Potential
%A Khan Mubashir
%A Khalid Ghazanfar
%A Bashir A. Ganai
%A Seema Akbar
%A Akhtar H. Malik
%A Akbar Masood
%J ISRN Inflammation
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/701765
%X Gentiana kurroo Royle is a critically endangered medicinal plant species endemic to the northwestern Himalayas. This plant was studied for the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory potential. Carrageenan paw edema model was used to study the potential of the drug in inflammation in Wistar rats. SRBC specific haemagglutination titre and DTH assays were carried out in Balb/C mice for observing the effect of test drugs on immune system. The plant extracts were found to be active against inflammation. The methanolic fraction was observed to be the most effective in inhibition of paw edema with the inhibitory potential of 47.62%. In immunomodulation studies the plant extracts showed the immunosuppressant activity. Methanolic fraction was observed to have maximum potential for the suppression of both humoral (57.57% and 54.05%) and cell mediated immunity (65.27% and 75%). From these studies, it can be concluded that the extracts of plant are having anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant activity. Since in chronic inflammation like arthritis there is the involvement of immune system, this plant may serve as an alternative for the treatment of autoimmune diseases like arthritis. 1. Introduction A number of medicinal herbs have been found to be useful for pharmacological activities, like anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. Throughout the world different types of inflammatory diseases like rheumatic diseases are very common [1]. A major cause in development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases is alteration in the T-cell responses and irregular functioning of the immune system [2]. Any changes in the immune response involving induction, expression, amplification, or inhibition of any part or phase of the immune response refer to immunomodulation. The agents that can modulate the immune response are traditionally called the immunomodulators and are stimulatory or suppressive in their effect [3]. The immune system can be modulated by a large number of immunosuppressive drugs that have different mechanisms of action. Most common of these drugs are the glucocorticoids used widely in inflammatory disease management. These drugs by affecting gene transcription events cause inhibition of various immune functions [4, 5]. An alternative to conventional chemotherapy is the use of herbal products for immune suppression and there is an increasing demand to discover new drugs with fewer side effects. The plant products which have been found to be able to affect the functioning of the immune system are mainly the primary and secondary metabolites [6]. Such
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.inflammation/2014/701765/