Immune Responses Induced in Mice after Intragastral Administration with Sendai Virus in Combination with Extract of Uncaria Tomentosa

Abstract

In the present study, the dried hydroalcoholic extract from the bark of Uncaria tomentosa was evaluated as  a potential immunostimulator. BALP/c mice were seven times immunized intragastrically (i.g.) with a formalin-  inactivated whole Sendai virus (SV) with two doses of the dry extract. The efficacy of the U. tomentosa  was evaluated by examining specific IgA in saliva as well as IgG and haemagglutination inhibition  (HI) in serum antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and HI tests. We found that the  animals inoculated with 5.6 mg of the dry extract of U. tomentosa induced higher saliva IgA antibodies.  Furthermore, the mice immunized e.g. with SV plus 0.56 mg of the extract had significantly higher IgA,  IgG and HI antibody responses to SV than did those administered with the SV alone. These results suggest  that dry extract from bark of U. tomentosa is useful as a mucosal adjuvant for mice.