FERMENTATION IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE - THE IMPACT OF WOODFORDIA-FRUTICOSA FLOWERS ON THE IMMUNOMODULATORY ACTIVITY, AND THE ALCOHOL AND SUGAR CONTENTS OF NIMBA-ARISHTA

The impact of Woodfordia fruticosa flowers on the immunomodulatory act ivity, and alcohol and sugar contents o the ayurvedic drug 'Nimba aris hta' was investigated by means of model preparations. The use of Woodf ordia flowers in model preparations resulted in a substantial increase of the inhibition of both human complement activity and chemiluminesc ence generated by zymosan-stimulated human polymorphonuclear leukocyte s. It was established that the increased biological activity was not d ue to microbial interference, but to immuno-active constituents releas ed from the Woodfordia flowers. It was also found that the flowers the mselves are not the source of alcohol-producing microorganisms. Experi ments performed with yeasts isolated from commercial Nimba arishtas sh owed, in agreement with empirical findings, significantly raised alcoh ol content upon addition of Woodfordia. An invertase activity exhibite d by Woodfordia flowers may be causative of this effect.