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Planta Med 2006; 72(13): 1207-1215
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-947254
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Year-and-a-Half Old, Dried Echinacea Roots Retain Cytokine-Modulating Capabilities in an in vitro Human Older Adult Model of Influenza Vaccination

David S. Senchina1 , 2 , Lankun Wu3 , Gina N. Flinn4 , Del N. Konopka2 , Joe-Ann McCoy5 , Mark P. Widrelechner5 , Eve Syrkin Wurtele3 , Marian L. Kohut1 , 2 , 6
  • 1Immunobiology Program, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
  • 2Department of Health and Human Performance, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
  • 3Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
  • 4Department of Genetics, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
  • 5North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa, USA
  • 6Gerontology Program, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
Further Information

Publication History

Received: October 7, 2005

Accepted: July 9, 2006

Publication Date:
04 October 2006 (online)

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Year-and-a-Half Old, Dried Echinacea Roots Retain Cytokine-Modulating Capabilities in an in vitro Human Older Adult Model of Influenza VaccinationPlanta Med 2006; 72(15): 1440-1440
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957078

Abstract

Alcohol tinctures prepared from aged Echinacea roots are typically taken for preventing or treating upper respiratory infections, as they are purported to stimulate immunity in this context. The effects of long-term (> 1 year) dry storage on the capabilities of Echinacea spp. roots from mature individuals to modulate cytokine production are unknown. Using an older human adult model of influenza vaccination, we collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects 6 months post-vaccination and stimulated them in vitro with the two Type A influenza viruses contained in the trivalent 2004 - 2005 vaccine with a 50 % alcohol tincture prepared from the roots of one of seven Echinacea species: E. angustifolia, E. pallida, E. paradoxa, E. purpurea, E. sanguinea, E. simulata, and E. tennesseensis. Before being processed into extracts, all roots had been stored under dry conditions for sixteen months. Cells were cultured for 48 hours; following incubation, supernatants were collected and assayed for interleukin-2, interleukin-10, and interferon-γ production, cytokines important in the immune response to viral infection. Four species (E. angustifolia, E. purpurea, E. simulata, E. tennesseensis) augmented IL-10 production, diminished IL-2 production, and had no effect on IFN-γ production. Echinacea pallida suppressed production of all cytokines; E. paradoxa and E. sanguinea behaved similarly, although to a lesser extent. The results from these in vitro bioactivity assays indicate that dried Echinacea roots stored for sixteen months maintain cytokine-modulating capacities. Our data support and extend previous research and indicate that tinctures from different Echinacea species have different patterns of immune modulation; further, they indicate that certain species may be efficacious in the immune response to viral infection.

Key words

Echinacea angustifolia - Echinacea pallida - Echinacea paradoxa - Echinacea purpurea - Echinacea sanguinea - Echinacea simulata - Echinacea tennesseensis - interleukin-2 - interleukin-10 - interferon-gamma - influenza - tincture

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Marian L. Kohut

246 Forker Building

Department of Health & Human Performance

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USA

Phone: +1-515-294-8364

Fax: +1-515-294-8740

Email: mkohut@iastate.edu

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