Immunoregulatory properties of the dry extract of the herb Cichorium intybus L. in in vitro and in vivo systems

Aim: to evaluate the effect of a dry extract of the herb of Cichorium intybus L. on the production of cytokines by human peripheral mononuclear cells in the systems in vitro and on the mass (thymus, spleen) and number of cells (thymus, spleen, bone marrow) of immune organs of mice in a model experiment of immunodeficiency in the systems in vivo.

Materials and methods. The study of the immunoregulatory properties of the dry extract of chicory herb was evaluated by the ability to change the production of cytokines on the model of mononuclear cells during co-cultivation under in vitro conditions and by the ability to restore the mass (thymus, spleen) and the number of cells (thymus, spleen, bone marrow) of the organs of the immune system of outbred mice under conditions of immunosuppression induced by methotrexate to the level of intact mice in vivo.

Results. An analysis of the immunoregulatory properties of dry extract of chicory herb in the systems in vitro showed that a solution of chicory extract increased the concentration of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-6, IFNγ and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-1Ra. Evaluation of the effect of the dry extract of chicory herb in the systems in vivo found that the dry extract of the herb of Cichorium intybus L. had no effect on the mass (thymus, spleen) and number of cells (thymus, spleen, bone marrow) of the immune system organs in intact mice and restored these parameters of the immune system in animals treated with cytostatic MTX to the level of intact animals, and the effect of the extract was comparable to the effect of the reference drug “Immunal”.

Conclusion. The dry extract of the herb of Cichorium intybus L. can be considered as a promising agent that normalizes the parameters of the immune system under conditions of MTX-induced immunosuppression, suppresses the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines and stimulates the secretion of anti-inflammatory IL-10, and the activity of this extract is associated with high content of phenolic compounds. Given the above, further study of chicory herb and dry extract from it is expedient and aimed at creating new effective herbal preparations that regulate the functions of the body’s immune system.