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Current IssueEditorial BoardOnline First ArticlesArchive

volume 49 issue 2 (april 2015) : 223-226,   Doi: 10.5958/0976-0555.2015.00037.4

Evaluation of cell mediated immune response in rabbits fed with Cucurbita maxima seeds

V
V. Ranganathan*
S
S. Selvasubramanian
1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Madras Veterinary College, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai- 600 007, India.
Cite article:- Ranganathan* V., Selvasubramanian S. (2025). Evaluation of cell mediated immune response in rabbits fed with Cucurbita maxima seeds. Indian Journal of Animal Research. 49(2): 223-226. doi: 10.5958/0976-0555.2015.00037.4.

ABSTRACT

Cucurbita maxima seed was tested for its immunomodulatory effect by comparing with immunostimulant, Levamisole HCL using dexamethasone induced immuno suppression model in rabbits in terms of assessing cell mediated immune response. Thirty six rabbits were randomly divided into six groups of six animals in each. Group I was the untreated control. Group II was dexamethasone sodium treated. Group III was levamisole HCL treated. Group IV was treated with Cucurbita maxima seeds. Group V was levamisole and dexamethasone treated and Group VI was treated with dexamethasone and Cucurbita maxima. Levamisole HCL was given at the rate of 2.5 mg/kg subcutaneously thrice a week, dexamethasone sodium was given at the rate of 2 mg/kg intramuscularly for seven days and Cucurbita maxima was given at the rate of 1000 mg/kg orally for 10 days. To assess the cell mediated immune response, leukocyte migration immigration test, delayed type hypersensitivity test and haematological indices were carried out. The body weight and spleen weight were also recorded. The results indicated that there were significant increase in % leukocyte migration inhibition in Cucurbita maxima and dexamethasone + Cucurbita maxima treated groups as compared to control. In tuberculin sensitivity, Cucurbita maxima, dexamethasone + Cucurbita maxima, levamisole, dexamethasone + levamisole showed significant increase in skin thickness as compared to control. This study suggested that the Cucurbita maxima seed has the potential to reverse dexamethasone induced cell mediated immunosuppression in rabbits.

REFERENCES

  1. Anderson B.H., Watson D.L. and Colditz I.G.(1999). The effect of dexamethasone on some immunological parameters in cattle. Vet Res Commun 23(7): 399-413.
  2. Cheong N.E., Choi Y.O., Kim W.Y., Bae I.S., Cho M.J., Hwang I., Kim J.W., Lee S.Y. and Cheong N.E. (1997). Purification and characterization of an antifungal PR-5 protein from pumpkin leaves. Mol cells. 7:214-219.
  3. Delves T.J. and Roitt I.M. (1998). Encyclopaedia of Immunology, 2nd ed. Academic Press. London.
  4. Du B., Song Y., Hu X., Liao X., Ni Y. and Li G. (2011). Oligosaccharides prepared by acid hydrolysis of polysaccharides from pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) pulp and their prebiotic activities. Int. J. Food Sci Technol. 46: 982-987.
  5. Fahim A.T., Abd-el Fattah A.A., Agha A.M., Gad M.Z. (1995). Effect of pumpkin-seed oil on the level of free radical scavengers induced during adjuvant-arthritis in rats. Pharmacol Res 31:73-79.
  6. Fong H.H. (2002). Integration of herbal medicine into modern practices: Issues and prospects. Integr Cancer Ther 1:287.
  7. Hudson L. and Hay F.C. (1980). Practical Immunology. Blackwell Scientific Publications, London, p.128.
  8. Jafarian, A., Zolfaghari, B. and Parnianifard, M. (2012). The effects of methanolic, chloroform and ethylacetate extracts of the Curcurbita pepo L. on the delayed type hypersensitivity and antibody production. Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences 7 (4) : 217-224.
  9. Mitra S.K., Gupta M. and Sharma D.N.K. (1999). Immunomodulatory effect of IM-133, Phytother Res 13: 341.
  10. Raphael T.J. and Kuttam G. (2003). Effect of naturally occurring triterpenoids glycyrrhizic acid, ursolic acid oleanolic acid and normilin on the immune system. Phytomedicine 10: 483.
  11. Ross G., Selvasubramanian S. and Jayasundar S. (2001). Immunomodulatory activity of Punica granatum in rabbits-a preliminary study. J. ethnopharmacol 78(1): 85-87.
  12. Snedecor,G.W. and Cochran,W.G. (1994). Statistical Methods, 6th Edition, IOWA State Universtiy press, Ames, IOWA.
  13. Tannin-Spitz T, Bergman M, Grossman S.(2007). Cucurbitacin glucosides: Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. Biochem Biophysic Res. 364:181-186.
  14. Tizzard I. (1996). Veterinary Immunology, An Introduction, W.B. Saunders Co., London, 5th ed., p 153-162.
  15. Vassiliou A.G., Neumann G.M., Condron R. and Polya G.M.(1998). Purification and mass spectrometry-assisted sequencing of basic antifungal proteins from seeds of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima). Plant Sci. 134:141-162
  16. Xia T and Wang Q. (2007). Hypoglycaemic role of Cucurbita ficifolia (Cucurbitaceae) fruit extract in streptozotocin-    induced diabetic rats. J Sci Food Agric. 87:1753-1757.
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    volume 49 issue 2 (april 2015) : 223-226,   Doi: 10.5958/0976-0555.2015.00037.4

    Evaluation of cell mediated immune response in rabbits fed with Cucurbita maxima seeds

    V
    V. Ranganathan*
    S
    S. Selvasubramanian
    1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Madras Veterinary College, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai- 600 007, India.
    Cite article:- Ranganathan* V., Selvasubramanian S. (2025). Evaluation of cell mediated immune response in rabbits fed with Cucurbita maxima seeds. Indian Journal of Animal Research. 49(2): 223-226. doi: 10.5958/0976-0555.2015.00037.4.

    ABSTRACT

    Cucurbita maxima seed was tested for its immunomodulatory effect by comparing with immunostimulant, Levamisole HCL using dexamethasone induced immuno suppression model in rabbits in terms of assessing cell mediated immune response. Thirty six rabbits were randomly divided into six groups of six animals in each. Group I was the untreated control. Group II was dexamethasone sodium treated. Group III was levamisole HCL treated. Group IV was treated with Cucurbita maxima seeds. Group V was levamisole and dexamethasone treated and Group VI was treated with dexamethasone and Cucurbita maxima. Levamisole HCL was given at the rate of 2.5 mg/kg subcutaneously thrice a week, dexamethasone sodium was given at the rate of 2 mg/kg intramuscularly for seven days and Cucurbita maxima was given at the rate of 1000 mg/kg orally for 10 days. To assess the cell mediated immune response, leukocyte migration immigration test, delayed type hypersensitivity test and haematological indices were carried out. The body weight and spleen weight were also recorded. The results indicated that there were significant increase in % leukocyte migration inhibition in Cucurbita maxima and dexamethasone + Cucurbita maxima treated groups as compared to control. In tuberculin sensitivity, Cucurbita maxima, dexamethasone + Cucurbita maxima, levamisole, dexamethasone + levamisole showed significant increase in skin thickness as compared to control. This study suggested that the Cucurbita maxima seed has the potential to reverse dexamethasone induced cell mediated immunosuppression in rabbits.

    REFERENCES

    1. Anderson B.H., Watson D.L. and Colditz I.G.(1999). The effect of dexamethasone on some immunological parameters in cattle. Vet Res Commun 23(7): 399-413.
    2. Cheong N.E., Choi Y.O., Kim W.Y., Bae I.S., Cho M.J., Hwang I., Kim J.W., Lee S.Y. and Cheong N.E. (1997). Purification and characterization of an antifungal PR-5 protein from pumpkin leaves. Mol cells. 7:214-219.
    3. Delves T.J. and Roitt I.M. (1998). Encyclopaedia of Immunology, 2nd ed. Academic Press. London.
    4. Du B., Song Y., Hu X., Liao X., Ni Y. and Li G. (2011). Oligosaccharides prepared by acid hydrolysis of polysaccharides from pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) pulp and their prebiotic activities. Int. J. Food Sci Technol. 46: 982-987.
    5. Fahim A.T., Abd-el Fattah A.A., Agha A.M., Gad M.Z. (1995). Effect of pumpkin-seed oil on the level of free radical scavengers induced during adjuvant-arthritis in rats. Pharmacol Res 31:73-79.
    6. Fong H.H. (2002). Integration of herbal medicine into modern practices: Issues and prospects. Integr Cancer Ther 1:287.
    7. Hudson L. and Hay F.C. (1980). Practical Immunology. Blackwell Scientific Publications, London, p.128.
    8. Jafarian, A., Zolfaghari, B. and Parnianifard, M. (2012). The effects of methanolic, chloroform and ethylacetate extracts of the Curcurbita pepo L. on the delayed type hypersensitivity and antibody production. Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences 7 (4) : 217-224.
    9. Mitra S.K., Gupta M. and Sharma D.N.K. (1999). Immunomodulatory effect of IM-133, Phytother Res 13: 341.
    10. Raphael T.J. and Kuttam G. (2003). Effect of naturally occurring triterpenoids glycyrrhizic acid, ursolic acid oleanolic acid and normilin on the immune system. Phytomedicine 10: 483.
    11. Ross G., Selvasubramanian S. and Jayasundar S. (2001). Immunomodulatory activity of Punica granatum in rabbits-a preliminary study. J. ethnopharmacol 78(1): 85-87.
    12. Snedecor,G.W. and Cochran,W.G. (1994). Statistical Methods, 6th Edition, IOWA State Universtiy press, Ames, IOWA.
    13. Tannin-Spitz T, Bergman M, Grossman S.(2007). Cucurbitacin glucosides: Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. Biochem Biophysic Res. 364:181-186.
    14. Tizzard I. (1996). Veterinary Immunology, An Introduction, W.B. Saunders Co., London, 5th ed., p 153-162.
    15. Vassiliou A.G., Neumann G.M., Condron R. and Polya G.M.(1998). Purification and mass spectrometry-assisted sequencing of basic antifungal proteins from seeds of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima). Plant Sci. 134:141-162
    16. Xia T and Wang Q. (2007). Hypoglycaemic role of Cucurbita ficifolia (Cucurbitaceae) fruit extract in streptozotocin-    induced diabetic rats. J Sci Food Agric. 87:1753-1757.
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