Summary of Research Findings

Immunity Research (continued)
4. Title
Enhanced Lymphoproliferative Response, Macrophage-Mediated Tumor Cell Killing and Nitric Oxide Production
After Ingestion of an Ayurvedic Drug [MAK-5].
Publication
Biochemical Archives, Vol. 9, pp. 365-374, 1993.
Authors
Kottarappat N. Dileepan, Sapna T. Varghese, Jordan C. Page, and Daniel J. Stechschulte.
Conducted at
Division of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Kansas
Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160
Summary
The Ayurvedic system of medicine utilizes
a variety of herbal food supplements to
enhance the body’s resistance to infection
and disease. Maharishi Amrit Kalash Ambrosia
(MAK-5) is one such commercially available
food supplement. In order to evaluate its
potential immunomodulatory actions, we
studied the effect of ingestion of MAK-5 on
lymphoproliferative response, macrophagemediated
tumor cell killing, and the production
of nitric oxide (NO) by macrophages.
C57BL/6J mice were fed either a standard diet
or that supplemented with 0.3% MAK-5, for
a period of six weeks. After this time, splenic
lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophages
were isolated. The lymphoproliferative
response was measured by [ 3 H] thymidine
uptake after activation of the lymphocytes
with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or anti-CD3
antibodies. Tumor cell killing by lipopolysaccharide
(LPS)- or interferon (IFN)-activated macrophages was studied by an 18-hour [ 51 Cr] release assay using
P815 murine mastocytoma cells as targets. Production of NO was assayed by measuring the nitrite contents in the
24-hour culture supernatants of macrophage monolayers activated with IFN or a combination of LPS and IFN. In
comparison to controls, lymphocytes from mice fed the MAK-5-supplemented diet exhibited significantly higher
proliferative responses to PHA and anti-CD3 at all concentrations tested. The spontaneous rate of lymphocyte
proliferation, measured in the absence of activators, was not enhanced by the MAK-5 diet. Peritoneal macrophages
from mice maintained on the
MAK-5-supplemented diet demonstrated enhanced tumor cell killing when activated with LPS, IFN, or LPS plus
IFN. The production of NO by LPS- or IFN-activated macrophages from MAK-5 treated mice was significantly
higher than those from controls. Neither the cytotoxicity nor the production of NO by unactivated macrophages
was altered by MAK-5 supplementation. These results indicate that MAK-5 contains ingredients that can induce in
vivo priming of both T-cells and macrophages for enhanced functions.
(continued)
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