Effects of various herbal fractions on human peripheral blood T and NK cell proliferation

Identification of the bioactivity of plant fractions and the establishment of suitable areas for these bioactivity is important research area. As first part of this thesis, the anti-proliferative effects of 11 methanolic plant fractions, 3 of which are endemic to Turkey, (Centaurea antiochia, Cotinus coggygria, Crataegus microphylla, Olea europaea, Rosa damascene, Stachys cretica, Teucrium sandrasicum, Thymus praecox, Thymus pseudopulegioides, Thymus sipyleus, Oryganum vulgare) on stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined by the colorimetric method of Mitochondrial Dehydrogenase Enzyme Activity (MTT). The effects of Centaurea antiochia, Cotinus coggygria, Stachys cretica and Teucrium sandrasicum fractions on the stimulated PBMCs, which provide the highest inhibition, were reanalyzed by the Carboxy Fluorescein Succythidyl Ester (CFSE) method and the stimulation index (SI) parameters were determined. The Annexin V / Propidium Iodide staining method was used to determine if the anti-proliferative effect of the Cotinus coggygria fraction was caused by activation of apoptotic pathways and apoptosis was not observed. The effects of.Cotinus coggygria fraction on peripheral blood T and Natural Killer (NK) cells were followed by a proliferative response of these cells. Cotinus coggygria fraction inhibited all cell populations but inhibited the proliferation of cytotoxic T cells more effectively than other cell groups. When the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 genes are investigated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to determine the cause of this inhibition, decrease in expression of IL-1β, and IL-2. Our findings suggest that Cotinus coggygria extract activates anti-inflammatory pathways. These findings support that the anti-inflammatory effects of Cotinus coggygria methanol fraction, which hasn't yet been investigated for its anti-inflammatory effects, may be pioneer in the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs and related treatments.