Effect of Echinacea, Aconitum, Lachesis and Apis extracts, and their combinations on phagocytosis of human granulocytes

The influence of Echinacea angustifolia, Aconitum napellus, Lachesis muta , and Apis mellifica , the contents of the combination product Influex (Steigerwald, Germany), on the phagocytosis of human granulocytes was investigated. Incorporation of latex microspheres was measured with a flow cytometric method. With regard to the constituents of the prescription, only vitamin C, lipopolysaccharide, and Echinacea angustifolia were able to enhance the phagocytosis rate. Aconitum, Apis and Lachesis , alone were not able to stimulate phagocytosis but showed an enhancement effect when combined with one another or with Echinacea. For example, a combination of Aconitum (10 −2 ) and Lachesis (10 −2 ) was able to stimulate phagocytosis up to 390%.