THE IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE EFFECTS OF GLOBULARIA-ALYPUM EXTRACTS

Responder lymphocytes were cultured with an equal number of irradiated stimulator lymphocytes from another donor for 6 days in RPMI 1640 (a modified Me Coh's 5 A Medium), After 48 h incubation with PMA (phorbol 12-myristate), PRA (phytohaematogglutin) and 120 h with MLR (mixed ly mphocytes reaction), the cells were labelled with H-3-thymidine, Cells were harvested in a scintillation counter, Globularia alypum L. extra cts were dissolved in HPLC quality ethanol or water and diluted in RPM I to concentrations ranging from 0.156-10 mu g/mL. Extract solutions w ere added immediately after cell stimulation in the cell walls, Cyclos porin A was used as a control. Both the water and ethanol extracts of Globularia alypum L. demonstrated a dose response effect in all three systems of MLR, PHA and PMA with no statistical difference in water or ethanol extracts, The IC50 were: PHA 1.14 mu g/mL, PMA 1.05 mu g/mL a nd MLR 2.06 mu g/mL. The PHA and MLR IC50 are approximately double the IC50 for cyclosporin A (0.5 mu g/mL). The effects of Glubularia alypu m L. in PMA stimulated lymphocytes suggests it may suppress T cell fun ction through a pathway that cyclosporin A does not effect.