Proceedings Volume 2010 (format .pdf) - SimpBTH

enhancement of the host immune system would increase the ability to combatinfection and thus reduce the problems of antibiotic resistance [3,5]. Furthermore,autoimmune diseases can be classified into proinflammatory (Th1) (e.g.rheumatoid arthritis) or antibody (Th2) (e.g. systemic lupus erythematosus)mediated diseases. In the latter cases, immunomodulating the immune cells andshifting the cytokine pattern would help in the treatment of the disease [6].In order modulation of cytokine secretion may offer novel approaches in thetreatment of a variety of diseases. One strategy in the modulation of cytokineexpression may be through the use of herbal medicines.Medicinal plants represent alternative means for the treatment of severalchronic diseases, including inflammation. Leaves of Rosmarinus officinalis hasbeen reported to possess a variety of bioactivities including antioxidant, antitumor,anti-inflammatory antibacterial and antiviral, possibly due to the presence offlavonoids, phenols and terpenoids (carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmanol, caffeic acid,rosmarinic acid and ursolic acid [7,8].The purpose of this study is to characterize potential immunomodulatorybioactivities of Rosmarinus officinalis.We analyzed the effects of a selective extract obtained from Rosmarinusofficinalis which exhibited strong antioxidant activity in our preliminary studies, onthe production of interleukins including IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α,in vitro, in mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood culture.MATERIAL AND METHODSPlant material. The rosemary samples (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) consistedof dried rosemary leaves were obtained from S.C. Fitoterapia S.A., Romania.Chemicals. All solvents, reagents and standards used were purchased fromSigma-Aldrich.Kits. To determine the cytokine levels it has been used the following kits:interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8),interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and HumanMultiAnalyte Profiling Base Kit A, all from R&D Systems.Extraction of plant material. The selective extract (RZ) was obtained by asuccession of technological stages consisting in the first stage in the solid-liquidextraction in a Soxlet installation. Following the extraction procedure, the vegetalmaterial was removed and the obtained filtrates were processed by vacuumconcentration until obtaining a residue which was passed through successiveprecipitation with polar and non-polar solvents, centrifugation, filtering at lowpressure and purification.Chemical analysis of the extracts. The samples were characterized by spectraltechniques (IR, UV-VIS-NIR) and chemiluminescence. The quantitativedetermination of the flavonoids, polyphenols, polyphenolcarboxilic acids and the240