Nitric oxid production and expression of LPS receptors of macrophages treated with Larrea divaricata extracts.

DAVICINO R C; MATTAR M A; CASALI Y A; MICALIZZI B

Uspallata (Mendoza)

Congreso; XXIII Reunión Científica de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo.; 2005

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Larrea divaricata Cav. is a plant commonly used in folk medicine in Argentina. knowing the in vivo effects that stimulate the immune innate system is of great value. This work aimed at evaluating the in vivo effects of two aqueous extracts of jarilla on murine peritoneal macrophages (MPM). Mice were sensitized with proteose peptone (10 %), and then treated with 0.5, 5 and 50 mg/kg of decoction (D) or infusion (I). MPM were incubated for: a) 48 h, with 100 m g/ml of D or I, with or without LPS (10m g/ml); and b) 24 h, with 100 m g/ml of D or I. Next, NO production and the expression of LPS receptors were evaluated in MPM. Results showed a significant increase in the NO production when MPM were treated with D (p£ 0.05) and with I (p£ 0.03). MPM treated with D + LPS and with I + LPS showed a decrease in the NO production (p£ 0.03) and (p£ 0.04 respectively). MPM treated with D and I bound more LPS than untreated MPM. D and I showed identical effects. However, D produces the same effects at lower concentrations, probably because D contains a higher amount of active compounds than I.