Elevation of White Blood Cell Counts In Swiss Mice, By Extracts of Asparagus Africanus and Caesalpinia Volkensii

Abstract

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Asparagus africanus and Caesalpinia volkensii grows in several parts of Kenya. Extractsof these two plants have been suggested to be effective in the treatment of bacterial infections. To examine the mechanism by which these herbal remedy might be effective in combating bacterial infections, the capacity of water and ethanol extracts of these plants to elevate white blood cell (WBCs) counts in mice were investigated. Extracts from both plants were found to significantly elevate WBCs counts in mice. These results of in vivo finding are very exciting. They indicate that the plant kingdom may be a potential source of general immunomodulators which may be useful in combating a myriad of tropical diseases, including the opportunistic infections associated with AIDS.