Larrea divaricata Cav. enhances the innate immune response during the systemic infection by Candida albicans

RENZO F. MARTINO; ROBERTO C. DAVICINO; MARÍA A. MATTAR; YOLANDA A. CASALI; SILVIA G. CORREA; BLAS MICALIZZI

AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH

ACADEMIC JOURNALS

Lugar: Scottsville; Año: 2011 vol. 5 p. 753 - 761

1996-0808

Larrea divaricata Cav. is a plant used in Argentinean folk medicine. The aim of this work was to evaluatethe effect of a purified fraction (F1) obtained from an extract of the plant on murine macrophages (MØ)against a systemic infection by Candida albicans. Mice were divided in four groups: 1) healthy withouttreatment; 2) healthy with F1 treatment; 3) infected, without treatment; and 4) infected with F1 treatment.Peritoneal MØ were harvested and the following tests were performed: Apoptosis, phagocytosis,hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production, nitric oxide (NO) production, determination of seric TNF- a and IL-10 and toxicity of F1. Results showed that F1 increased phagocytosis, H2O2 production, superoxideanion and NO levels in presence of C. albicans. These effects are probably due to a modulatemechanism of diverse receptors, such as TLR-2, Dectin-1, mannose receptor and CRs. Apoptosis andTNF-a levels were also increased by F1. The use of this fraction did not induce toxicity on mice. Inconclusion, F1 induces a state of pre- activation of MØs, which is enhanced by the presence of C.albicans. The lack of toxicity in addition with the immunomodulatory action becomes F1 a potential safetreatment of disseminated candidiasis.