IMMUNOPOTENTIATING COMPOUNDS FROM TINOSPORA-CORDIFOLIA

The active principles of Tinospora cordifolia a traditional Indian pla nt were found to possess anticomplementary and immunomodulatory activi ties. Syringin (TC-4) and cordiol (TC-7) inhibited the in vitro immuno haemolysis of antibody-coated sheep erythrocytes by guinea pig serum. The reduced immunohaemolysis was found to be due to inhibition of the C3-convertase of the classical complement pathway. However, higher con centrations showed constant inhibitory effects. The compounds also gav e rise to significant increases in IgG antibodies in serum. Humoral an d cell-mediated immunity were also dose-dependently enhanced. Macropha ge activation was reported for cordioside (TC-2), cordiofolioside A (T C-5) and cordiol (TC-7) and this activation was more pronounced with i ncreasing incubation times. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.