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Dose-dependent activation of immune function in mice by ingestion of Maharishi Amrit Kalash 4
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine volume 2, pages 126–131 (1997)
An Erratum to this article was published on 01 April 1998
Abstract
This study was carried out to evaluate the dose-effects of ingestion of Maharishi Amrit Kalash 4 (MAK 4), an ayurvedic food supplement, on the immune function in female inbred BALB/c mice. Superoxide anion (O2) production of peritoneal macrophages and the response of spleen cells to concanavalin A (Con A) were examined in mice given MAK 4 by gastric intubation of an aqueous emulsion at the dose of 10, 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg once a day for 20 days. Glucose consumption of peritoneal macrophage in the MAK 4-treated mice at the doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg after not only 24-hour but also 48-hour incubations were significantly high compared with the control group. Glucose consumption of peritoneal macrophages in the MAK 4-treated mice at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg after 48 hours of incubation were significantly lower than that of the control group. O2 production in the absence of a stimulator was significantly enhanced in the MAK 4-treated groups at the doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg. On the other hand, O2 production in the presence of a stimulator was significantly high in the MAK 4-treated groups at the doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg, and was significantly low in the MAK 4-treated groups at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg compared with that in the control group. Activities of acid phosphatase in the peritoneal macrophages were significantly low in the MAK 4-treated groups at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg compared with those in the control group. Activities of β -glucuronidase (GLU) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the peritoneal macrophages were significantly increased in the MAK 4-treated mice at the doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg. GLU and LDH activities of peritoneal macrophages in the MAK 4-treated mice at the doses of 100 and 200 mg /kg were significantly low compared with those in the control group. MAK 4 did not enhance spontaneous splenic lymphocyte proliferation at any dose in mice. Stimulation indices in the MAK 4-treated groups at all doses were significantly higher than those of the control group. These results indicate that 10 and 50 mg/kg per day might be appropriate doses to enhance not only macrophage function but also lymphocyte responsiveness for the gastric intubation of MAK 4 in mice.
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An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02931242.
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Inaba, R., Sugiura, H., Iwata, H. et al. Dose-dependent activation of immune function in mice by ingestion of Maharishi Amrit Kalash 4. Environ Health Prev Med 2, 126–131 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931978
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931978